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^THEt^ 


Lightning Estimator 


A SIMPLE, RELIABLE GUIDE FOR ESTIMATING 
THE COST OF FRAME BUILDINGS 


RAPID, PRACTICAL, COMPACT, COMPREHENSIVE 


PREPARED BY 

H. JAMES BliADT 

p 


SIXTH EDITION 

PRICE ONE DOLLAR 


BRADT PUBLISHING CO, 


JACKSON, MICH. 





COPYRIGHT 

1910, 

BY H. JAMES BKADT. 


tN 




©CI.A271868 


Lf\ 


AUTHOR’S REMARKS 


There seems to be a popular demand for clear, simple and 
reliable methods of estimating, if the large sale of my five pre¬ 
vious editions is any criterion. 

In presenting this sixth edition to the builders of the country 
my aim will be to improve where I can on my previous efforts, 
making some subjects more easily understood, adding a little 
here and there, and a few more illustrations, which are always 
helpful to the builder in grasping the ideas and methods shown 
in the book. The many gratifying letters I have received would 
seem to indicate that my methods are fast becoming the stand¬ 
ard for estimating housework. While I have had some objec¬ 
tions to the size of the book from a few of that class who put 
quantity ahead of quality, and would rather have a long drawn 
out treatise which they could not understand readily, than a 
terse, compact, comprehensive article which would benefit 
them, nevertheless, it will ever be my policy to handle each 
subject in as brief and simple a manner as possible to give a 
clear understanding, for in these busy days the majority of 
builders wish to buy information that is presented in the most 
serviceable form. 

The young estimator must bear in mind that there is no 
royal road to estimating, that above all, good judgment is para¬ 
mount, because often two similar jobs will vary in cost because 
conditions are different. The careful estimator is the one who, 
with a fair knowledge of arithmetic, combined with sound 
judgment, will be ever alert to existing and various conditions. 
He must dissect and analyze each separate part of his work and 
not jump at the cost. 

Much as I dislike to say it, I must admit that for special 
and irregular classes of work, a good estimator must be a good 
guesser, Now, I don’t mean to jump at the total cost of a job, 
but, as I have said, by dissecting and analyzing each separate 


4 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


part of the work, the risk in greatly lessened. The material can 
nearly always be computed accurately, it being the labor which 
bothers the estimator. Here is where good judgment comes in, 
and it is the purpose of this book to give examples in analyzing 
work in order to enlighten and broaden the judgment of the 
estimator. While the tables and data which I show are accu¬ 
rate and are taken from actual construction experiences, and 
may be relied on for the class of work described, they also 
illustrate the principle for analyzing nearly every class of house 
work one would encounter. It is readily seen that by resolving 
a piece of work into several parts a more definite idea may be 
had and the labor more easily computed. Judge more as to the 
time required by an average workman, not some particularly 
good man you have, as you never can tell how long you will 
have any certain man. Sometimes you might lose a job when 
your estimate was correct and the fault would be with poor 
labor. One can generally tell if work progresses satisfactorily, 
and if it does not, and the workman cannot be replaced, don’t 
condemn your estimate as being too low to take another job of 
the same kind, because with proper labor it might be just right, 
and if you figured higher you might lose the next job, as com¬ 
petition is very close nowadays. Of course the amount lost 
would have some bearing on the matter, if very large you have 
made a mistake, but what I have just mentioned applies to a 
small loss. I have mentioned this point more to instill the idea 
into the mind that work must be constantly watched so that the 
fault may be corrected whether it is the estimate or the work¬ 
men. Eternal vigilance is the price of success as well as lib¬ 
erty, and nowhere is it more true than in conducting building 
operations. I am sorry that I have to speak of guess work, as 
it is the greatest evil we have to compete against, but as in some 
cases it is a necessity, I know of no other way to emphasize 
that estimating is largely a matter of judgment, and I have tried 
to explain how the evils may be overcome, and how to proceed 
to get the correct result. 




THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR 


5 


Builders have written me that my book was of no use as the 
prices in their town were so much different. Think of it. If I 
were to get up a book for every town or city, no two would be 
.alike. Even in my own city material is sold at different prices, 
and one builder uses a better grade than another, so the idea of 
making a set of prices universal is preposterous. This book is 
intended to teach a method of combining figures to save time. 
1 studied arithmetic at school, and had a good textbook, but 
every time I have a problem to solve, I do not turn to my book 
to find an example with the identical figures contained in my 
problem. Just so with this book. It aims to teach you to help 
yourself. The idea is to analyze each part of your work, sepa* 
rate it into tables and rules similar to mine to get a basis for 
rapid and general use. Keep a record of the different parts of 
your work, make your own tables, compare one job with another. 
For instance, instead of estimating base-boards each member 
separately, make a table of 100 lineal feet of base and mold¬ 
ings and labor, see how long it takes an average man to put 
down 100 feet. Divide the result by 100 and you have a price 
per lineal foot until some item changes in price. I give here a 
table of this kind: 


100 ft. lineal of base_,__„_,$3.35 

200 ft. lineal of grounds-„-- .80 

100 ft. qr. round- .00 

100 ft. base mold_ ----— 1.20 

Labor, per 100 ft. (70 ft. in 8 hours),----4.00 


100).|9.95(10c. 

Notice, I say average man. Don’t pick out the best man 
or what you can do yourself in a day, but keep a record of sev¬ 
eral men, and the average will be the price to use. After 
establishing a standard for this class of work, if a man does not 
do the average, get someone else in his place. 

There are several methods of estimating, such as cubing 
the contents at so much per cubic foot, or so much per sqsare 
foot for the floor surface. Of these, all that can be said is they 









6 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


are only approximate estimates, and intended only for archi¬ 
tects or those who need a rough and rapid idea of the cost. The 
customary way of taking off each piece is too slow, and there 
is too much risk of omissions and mistakes. Even if the quan¬ 


tities have been taken off accurately, there are so many figures 
to handle that it is safe to say six in ten mistakes occur in ex¬ 
tending figures. 

The method of taking off the material and adding a per¬ 
centage for labor is decidedly inaccurate, as the labor on some 
materials is more than on others. Therefore, if one job had 
more of one kind of work in it than another this percentage 
would have to vary, and would resolve itself into just plain 
guess work, unless very subtle and keen judgment were exer¬ 
cised as to percentage added. 

This book aims to get the same results as detailed estimat¬ 
ing, but in a more easy, simple and rapid manner, with less risk. 
I have touched upon omissions, for I have known builders to 


overlook entirely such items as plastering, painting, gutters, 


chimneys, cornice, etc. Many builders add a percentage for 


this very thing, but suppose he happens to get everything fig¬ 
ured in, this percentage would be apt to lose him the job; or, 
on the other hand, if he added 5 per cent, and had left out 10 
per cent., where would he be? Mr. Builder, get the items all in. 
Have a list of general items similar to the following, and look 
plans and specifications over carefully to find any special work 


not ordinarily encountered. 


Excavating, 
Cellar Walls, 
Concrete Floors, 
Cellar Partitions, 
Brick Work, 
Piers, 

Chimneys, 

Coal Bins, 
Colonades, 
Veneer, 

Cut Stone, 

Cistern, 

Plastering. 


Gutters, 

Cornice, 

Side Walls, 
Roofs, 

Corner Boards, 

Watertable, 

Overlays, 

Floor Space, 
Inside Partitions, 
Porches, 
Windows, 

Cellar Windows, 
Tinning, 


Seats, 

Doors, 

Base, 

Wainscot, 

Stairs, 

China Closets, 
Cupboards, 

Picture Moldings, 
Plate Shelf, 

Mantels, 

Heating, 

Plumbing, 

Wiring, Painting. 






THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


/ 


I don't mean to say that this list covers all the items of a 
house estimate, but it serves as a reminder of the general items, 
and a careful inspection of plans and specifications will enable 
the estimator to add to the list as his wants require. I have 
observed that it is more often the case that a large item, such as 
a cornice, a gable, a partition, etc., is left out and the special or 
smaller items put down. This is true, perhaps, because the 
special items are specially mentioned in the specifications, while 
work that is generally understood belongs to a job, not being 
mentioned, is liable to be overlooked in a hasty estimate. 

The prices given in this book are all based on actual 
cost. Then you add whatever profit you wish. Bids ought not 
to vary more than 5 per cent, if all bidders are on the same 
basis as to purchasing material, etc. General bids will vary 
because of several reasons, namely: Difference in sub-bids, 
access to the work, omissions or mistakes in extensions or add¬ 
ing, different ideas as to the cost of the labor, and the amount 
added for profit. 

Profit varies sometimes, according to the amount of work 
the builder may have on hand, and on the state of the weather 
or time of year. As men can not do as much in bad weather 
as at other times, the labor is, of course, higher; so if you figure 
the same percentage you do in a good season you make less 
profit. Therefore I think a builder should not cut his profit to 
get a job in a bad season, as the extra cost of the labor eats into 
the profit as it is. 

Now take a job estimated with the profit added to each item 
as you go along. How are you to know what the total profit is 
on the whole job? While I do not approve of it, it is sometimes 
desirable to cut a bid, so how can you do this safely if the entire 
profit cannot be ascertained? This is a point to consider, at 
least. You may add whatever profit your judgment tells you 
will secure the job; or take several jobs you have built and esti¬ 
mate them at actual cost, the difference will give you a fairly 
good idea of the regular profit you have been making. Of course 






8 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


competition is the leading factor to consider in making a price 
on most work. 

The better way is to take a year's business you have done, 
and a fair amount you should make for the year. Divide the 
profit by the business and get the percentage which you must 
have to pay you for your work. You see again that it is 
judgment of the situation that has a great deal to do with this 
item. I will add that many small builders who put in their own 
time on the work, do not, as a rule, add any profit. The way I 
look at this is that a man must be a poor stick, who, if he can 
earn a day’s wages working by the day for another man, will 
assume the risk, care, responsibility and extra work that con¬ 
tracting entails for the same amount as he could get by the day 
working at his trade. 

I give the prices per day that this book is computed upon, 
therefore it is an easy matter to adjust them to your scale. For 
instance, if I gave 8 cents per lineal foot for the labor on wain¬ 
scoting and my scale was 32 cents per hour, it appears that 
four lineal feet is one hour’s work, and if your scale is 40 cents 
per hour, this work would cost you 10 cents per lineal foot. 

Wages in this book are computed upon the 8-hour day; 

Carpenters and Painters, .35 per hour. 

Plasterers and Stone Masons, $4.00, or .50 per hour. 

Bricklayers, $4.40, or .55 per hour. 

Team and man, $4.00 per day. 

Common labor, $2.00, or .25 per hour. 

The price given throughout this book, and time for each 
part of the work, are based upon records of a great many jobs 
for several years, and an average struck from these. Two jobs 
identically alike will often vary a trifle as to cost, but what bet¬ 
ter methods can we use than taking an average for a standard. 

While I give tables and memoranda for masonry, etc., it is 
on the methods of estimating carpenter work that I claim to 
have all other methods excelled for accuracy and rapidity. 

To illustrate the rapidity of some of my methods over the 
regular way, I give a rough sketch of both methods for several 
parts of the work: 




THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


9 


REGULAR WAY. 

FLOOR SPACE. 

No. ft. 6x8 sills and girders 

No. ft. 2x8-10 joist 

No. ft. 2x8-12 joist 

No ft. 2x8-14 joist 

No. ft. 2x8-16 joist 

No. ft. flooring 

Nails 

No. pieces bridging 
Labor on pc. stuff 
Labor on flooring 

SIDE WALLS 

No. pc. 2x4-12 studs 
No. pc. 2x4-14 studs 
No. pc. 2x4-16 studs 
No. pc. 2x4-18 studs 
No. pc. plates, 12, 14, 16 ft. 
No. ft. sheathing 
No. ft. siding or shingles 
No. rolls paper 
Nails 

Labor on studs and plates 
Labor on sheathing 
Labor on siding 

ROOFS. 

No. pc. rafters 
No. ft. roofing 
No. shingles 
Nails 

No. ft., lineal, ridge boards 
Valleys and hip shingles 
Ridge roll 

PLAIN CORNICE. 

No. ft. 1x12 

No. ft. 1x4 

No. ft. 1x8 

No. ft. 1 x6 

No. ft. crown mold 

No. ft. bed mold 

Brackets 

Labor on above 


MY WAY. 


Simply No. sq. ft of 
1 floor space at price given 
in table. 


1 


No. of ft. side walls at 
price per square. 


J 


No. sq. ft. roof at price 

i 

r 

per square. 


1 


No. lin. ft. Cornice at 
price per foot. 











10 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


INSIDE DOORS. 


No. doors 

No. ft. casings 

No. ft. head casings 

No. ft. head moldings 

No. set jambs 

No. set knobs and locks 


1 


No. of doors cased up 
complete at price each. 


No. prs. butts 
No. ft. door stops 
No. ft. grounds 
Labor on each 

Of course this refers to doors of the same price only, as 
pine doors would be a different item from oak doors. 

Finally, let me say Go over your figures several times and 
add your columns at least three times, as more builders are 
ruined by carelessness than by ignorance of the cost. 

I will be pleased to receive a letter from any builder receiv¬ 
ing this book, to whom some part may not be clear, and will 
gladly answer all such to the best of my ability. 


Yours for success. 


H. JAMES BRADT. 



The houses shown on the following pages show the class of 
work upon which the estimates and information in this book are 
based. They range from $2,500 to $7,000 in price, on the ordi¬ 
nary class of work which the builder is called upon to erect. 

In estimating double house only one side need be estimated 
if both are alike, then double the amount. To this amount 
there are a few things to add separately, such as plumbing, the 
centre wall (generally brick or concrete blocks), sometimes the 
gutters and conductors if they are not the same for both parts, 
in fact any work which can not lie taken singly and doubled. 







THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR 


11 




















THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR 




















THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR 


13 














































14 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR 


































THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR 


15 











16 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR 





























THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


17 


EXCAVATING 

As this work is largely a matter of judgment, based on ex¬ 
perience, I will not devote much space to the subject, as this 
work is usually let to some teaming contractor who is usually 
better posted as to conditions of soil, site, etc., than anyone 
else. He also knows just what to expect of a team or man on 
the different classes of work. He can give a price per yard or 
take the whole job in a lump. However, I give the method of 
getting the cubic contents of a cellar, the average price, and 
day’s work in this locality. 

Multiply floor space by depth of cellar from grade; divide 
result by 27 (27 cubic feet equal one cubic yard). Result— 
cubic yards. 

The following is about the average day’s work for one team 
and two men. 

Sand—50 yards per day at $6.00 equals 12c. per yard. 

Sand and Clay—40 yards per day at $6.00 equals 15c. per 
yard. 

Hard Clay—20 to 30 yards per day at $6.00 equals 20c. to 
30c. per yard. 

Of course these prices are for cellars from 3 to 6 feet deep, 
where plow can be used. If cellar is small or very deep, it will 
cost more to excavate. 


STONE WALLS. 

What I have said of excavating is largely true of rubble 
stone work. Every locality has a generally established price 
for common and face work, different grades, classes, etc. 

Walls are measured by the cubic foot, perch or cord. Both 




18 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


the cord and perch vary in different localities regarding the 
cubic feet in each. For instance, the standard perch in our 
arithmetic is 24% cubic feet. Thus a wall 1 ft. high, 18 inches 
thick and 16% ft. long would be one perch. Now, in this 
locality 16% cubic ft. is a perch, therefore the above mentioned 
wall would count as one and a half perch. The law rules that 
custom governs, and many interesting suits have resulted in 
favor of custom. A standard cord is 128 cubic feet, but in many 
sections masons charge 100 cubic feet as a cord. It matters not, 
as long as a general custom is understood, and in estimating 
stone work in strange localities, it is important that this matter 
be looked into before estimating. The table I give below is 
based on 16% cubic feet to the perch. Similar tables may be 
made for any other measurement. 

If the wall is 18 inches wide it is only necessary to multiply 
length by the height and divide by 11. 

Corners are measured twice and no openings are deducted, 
as extra labor laying up the corners or jambs offsets the saving 
in material. Don’t forget that you must add to your price if 
cement is used in the mortar. 

The following table gives material and labor for 6 perch of 
wall laid. If it is customary to estimate by cord or yard in your 
locality, make a table accordingly. 


6 Perch Stone_16.00 

1 Bbl. Lime_ .75 

1 Yd. Sand_ .67 

1 day Mason_4.00 

1 day Tender_2.00 


6)13.42(2.24’ per perch. 

This includes pointing inside, and outside above the grade. 

This table is based on common rubble work. Block or 
course work, or any kind of fancy ashlar work costs additional. 
We pay, in this city, about 20 cents per square foot extra for 
face work. One-half of this goes to the teamster for the better 
grade of stone required for this work. 










THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


19 


CONCRETE BLOCK WALLS. 

In making blocks the cost of labor depends on kind of 
blocks, also the size and style of machine or mold. In making 
plain 20-inch blocks two men will make from 130 to 150 blocks 
in eight hours if they have had a little experience. Some turn 
out more, but at a sacrifice of quality. In making face-blocks, 
on which nearly every block maker uses a richer facing, from 
SO to 100 is a fair day’s work, considering the corners and small 
pieces which go a little slower than regular blocks. These fig¬ 
ures cover wetting down, removing from pallets, piling, etc., 
and are based on hand-mixed concrete. While it is policy for 
every block maker to keep a record of his daily output for his 
particular style of work and methods, a table is given below 
showing how this may be done. Four sacks of cement equals 
3.8 cubic feet, so for ordinary calculation one foot to a sack is 
used. Hence, if a 6 to 1 block is required, four sacks of cem¬ 
ent would take 24 cubic feet of sand and gravel. As there is 
always a little shortage and waste to sand we will allow 27 cubic 
feet or one yard of sand in this calculation, and 30 blocks to the 


batch: 

4 sacks cement_$1.50 

1 yard sand and gravel_ .67 


30)2.17(7 1 4c. per block 
for material 

Two men 8 hours, at 25c. per hour, is $4.00. Making 133 
blocks on an average per day would be 3c. per block for labor. 
7 1 4 c + 3 c - = 10L c - per block complete. 

It is of course cheaper if one can make blocks on the site 
where they are to be used, as hauling soon runs into quite a 
bill. 

In making face blocks (face down) we will require an extra 
sack of cement, and the cost is about as follows: 


5 sacks cement_$1.88 

1 yard sand and gravel_ .67 


30) 2.55 (8 1 ?c. 









20 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


Two men at $4.00, averaging 80 blocks per day, is 5c. eacli 
for labor. 8i^-l-5c-=13 1 ?c. complete. 

In laying blocks something depends on experience of mason 
and the class of work. On ordinary foundations one mason and 
tender ought to lay 160 blocks in 8 hours. $4.40 for mason and 
$2.00 for tender is $6.40-r-160 gives us 4c. per block for labor 
laying plain blocks up to grade. 

In laying the face blocks 100 in 8 hours is a fair average. 
$6.40-^-100 in 6 s 4 oC. for labor laying. Blocks ought to be laid in 
good mortar. One barrel lime, 75c.; 4 sacks cement, $1.50; 
11 2 yards sand, $1.00, will easily lay 325 blocks, or about lc. 
per block. Some masons use more than others. Also, some 
block setters will set 250 blocks per day. Builder must adjust 
liis tables to conditions as he finds them. 

We will now try an example on an ordinary foundation nine 

blocks high, six courses high of plain blocks and three courses 

high of face blocks. It is readily seen that a wall of 600 blocks 

would require 400 plain and 200 face blocks, no allowance being 

made for plain blocks back of porches: 

400 plain blocks at 10kjc_$41.00 

200 face blocks at 131 2 c_27.00 

Labor, 400 blocks at 4c_ 16 00 

Labor, 200 blocks at G^c _12.80 

Mortar_ 6.00 

600)102.80(17 1 gc. per block. 

Now, one block (8x20 face) lays 1^ square feet in face of 
wall, hence 90 blocks will lay 100 square feet of surface. If one 
block laid costs 171 gc., 90 blocks would cost $15.41, or about 
15*20. per square foot for face of wall. It is readily seen that 
by multiplying the surface measure in a wall by the cost per 
square foot the cost is given without taking the trouble to reduce 
the surface to the number of blocks and pricing by the block. 
This scheme may be worked out for any size block, the example 
given is merely a guide for the builder to make his own calcu¬ 
lations. 








THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR* 


21 


In building block houses or buildings where all face work 
is required, the work of laying is much slower. It is not safe to 
estimate that one mason will lay more than 100 in 8 hours for 
the first story. Ninety is a better average for good work, and 
70 to 80 for second story. 

Much depends on facilities for handling this work, such as 
adequate scaffolding and means for raising the blocks Also 
great care is required in handling face blocks in order to keep 
the edges intact. Window and door openings are figured solid 
and nothing allowed for sills and lintels, or the cost of blocks 
only (not the labor for laying) may be deducted and the cap s 
and sills figured separately. It is about an even thing, ordi* 
narily, which ever rule is used, the first being quicker and the 
latter more accurate. I might add that in making blocks the 
cost is greatly reduced if yard can be located near a sand pit, 
buying cement in car lots, using automatic tamper, power mixer 
and suitable trucks for handling the blocks, but all these require 
a great deal of capital, such as the ordinary builder cannot tie 
up. 

It is now an opportune time to say a word about how blocks 
should be laid: 

First, draw a plan of wall and space off the lengths of 
blocks around same for first course. If a side wall does not 
space out evenly and a fractional block is-required, try to keep 
this piece as long as possible by laying the corner block in the 
opposite direction, as it keeps the bond better. For instance, 
in laying 20 inch blocks, if side of wall 24 feet long is required, 
instead of laying 14 blocks 20 inches long and one 8 inches, 
make it 13 blocks 20 inches and one 18 inches and lay the corner 
the 10 inch way. This is not really necessary, but looks better 
as the fractional blocks are nearer the size of the regular blocks. 
Next draw the elevations, locating all the openings for doors 
and windows, marking size of each over all, for outside of 
frame. Then draw lines showing the courses from bottom to 
top of wall Now start at one side and space off the blocks. 




22 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


making the fractional blocks come at the openings. If there is 
a projection on one side of the wall as for a wing, space from 
outside corner to inside, making fractional block come next to 
the inside angle. Prove all spacings by adding the lengths of 
blocks and widths of openings to see if they tally with length of 
wall. In running blocks for height the windows should be reg¬ 
ulated as near as possible to the blocks, and any small variation 
can be made in the sill. For instance, a frame 68 inches high 
would take 8 courses laying 8 inches and a four inch sill, while 
a frame 70 inches high would take a 6 inch sill, or we might use 
a 5 inch sill and make each joint a little heavier. This is a 
proposition where the frame need be considered for height before 
anything else is done, as the size can oftentimes be changed to 
great advantage in laying the blocks. After you decide on height 
of frame space same off on the casing, same as for siding, only 
use height of one block and one joint for a space. 

This may seem like a lot of work to many, but nevertheless 
it is absolutely necessary to procure a first class piece of work 
properly bonded, also it allows you to get the exact number and 
kind of blocks required. It is by this method that stone is cut 
at quarry or stone yard for an entire building before any are 
laid, and if no mistake has been made never a stone need be 
touched again by the cutter. The mortar joint is taken out of 
the length and height of stone or block. In getting out a bill 
of cut stone every stone is marked for course and position. As 
concrete block setting is identical with cut stone, we can get no 
better method than that used by the boss stone cutter. 


CONCRETE FOOTINGS. 

Hollow block walls should be laid on a footing. For house 
work these footings require 2x4s staked around the bottom of 
cellar so as to make footing from 14 to 16 inches wide. These 





THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


23 


aie put in level then the concrete put in place. Two carpenters 
will put down these forms for 35 lineal feet of footing in one 
hour, which makes the cost 2c. per lineal foot. Lumber for 
forms is not figured as same can be used in the building again 
after concrete has set. The concrete mixed, placed in forms 
and tamped level costs as follows for one cubic yard in place: 

(7 parts gravel to one part cement.) 


1 V 4 yards gravel_ .84 

5 sacks cement_$1.87 

6 hours common labor_ 1.50 


$4.21 

Hence, if one yard costs $4.21, one cubic foot would cost— 
$4.21-5-27, or 15gc. 

Example—To find number of cubic feet in 100 feet lineal, 
of footing 15 inches wide by 4 inches thick: 

15 in. = f foot. 4in. — J foot. 

(f x 3 =i 5 2 cubic feet) x 100=^%° or about 42 cubic ft. 

42xl5§ cents is $6.53 

Labor on forms 2.00 

$8.53 cost of 100 lineal feet of footing 
4x15 in place,'or about 8 I 2 cents per foot, lineal. 

Builder should make a set of tables for the different widths 
and depths of footings he is called upon most to build, in order 
to be able to readily estimate them by the lineal foot. Footings 
may be estimated at so much per cubic foot or yard instead of 
lineal foot as I have shown and add labor setting forms if one so 
chooses, but the method given is handier; after he has made a 
table of the different sizes, all he needs do is to take the length of 
footing by the price per foot. 

For monolithic wall the above table for mixing and placing 
the concrete by hand is a fair estimate, but the cost of forms is 
another proposition, as there are several different ways of doing 
this work and so many different classes of work. Usually the 
lumber used in forms is not figured in, and the labor will run 
from to \ cost of the concrete. This is a proposition where 










24 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


experience, method of doing the work, and style of work has so 
much to do that I will not attempt to give any prices, but be 
obliged to leave it to builder’s judgment and experience. 


CONCRETE FLOORS. 

Concrete floors are estimated by the square foot of surface. 
While the carpenter-contractor usually sublets this work the 
following tables will be of use for ordinary work such as cellar 
floors and porch floors. One square (10x10) of cellar floor two 
inches thick made seven parts gravel to one part cement with 
3-to-l top dressing, requires as follows' 


1 yard gravel_$ .67 

5 sacks cement_ 1.88 

2V 2 hours finisher_ 1.25 

5 hours common labor_ 1.25 


$5.05 

This is about 5c. per square foot. Contractors charge from 
6 c. to 7c. for this class of work in this locality. 

One square of cellar floor 3 inches thick requires: 


Wl yards gravel_$1.00 

6i/ 2 sacks cement_2.44 

3 hours finisher_ 1.50 

6 hours common labor_ 1.50 


$6.44 or about Gl^c. 

per square foot. 

Contractors charge 7c. to 8c. per square foot for this class 
of work. Large floors would not cost quite as much as the labor 
would run along faster. Also, machine mixed concrete is a big 
saving. 












THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


25 


PORCH FLOORS. 

Porch floors should be at least 4 inches thick, with 44 in. face. 
One square costs as follows: 


2 yards gravel_$ 1.33 

8 sacks cement_ 3.00 

2 yards cinders_ 1.00 

6 hours finisher_ 3.00 

12 hours common labor_ 3.00 


$11.33 or 1 II 3 C per foot 

Nothing has been added for forms. As they can generally 
be used for several jobs the contractor can add for them or not, 
as he wishes. 13c. to 15c. is the price at which this work is 
generally taken. 


CONCRETE STEPS. 

The cost of concrete steps varies on account of number in a 
flight, the size and location. The cost of ordinary porch steps 
built between two walls or plain end made with wood form, four 
steps to set, each 7 feet long, is given below: 


1 yard sand and gravel_$ .67 

5 sacks cement for concrete_1.88 

2 sacks cement for facing_ .75 

8 hours cement finisher_4.00 

8 hours common labor_ 2.00 

Lumber for forms_ 1.44 


$10.74 

Steps are usually priced per step one foot long, and as we 
had 28 feet of steps, this would be about 38 V 3 C. per foot for one 
step. This class of work is usually figured at 50c. to 60c. per 
lineal foot. 


















26 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


BRICK WORK. 

The following table for brick walls is based on plain work 
with common brick, such as basement walls and partitions and 
ordinary small brick buildings. A brick house where a particu¬ 
larly good job is required would run a little higher. Hollow 
walls as are used sometimes in house work are laid up at the 
rate of 800 brick a day for one mason. For pressed brick and 
veneering see index. 

Four inch walls require 6 to 7 standard brick (according to 

mortar joint) to the square foot face. I have found Gl^ the 

average, thus a 9-inch wall requires 13, and a 13-inch wall 19^2* 

Cost of 9-inch wall. Plain work; 

1000 brick_$8.00 

Mortar __2.00 

Labor at 1200 per day at $6.40. 5.33 

Cost per 1000_ $15.33 

Cost of 13-inch wall: 

1000 brick_$ 8.00 

Mortar ___ 2 00 

Labor at 1600 per day at $6.40_ 4 00 

Cost per 1000 _$14.00 

If openings are deducted, deduct brick and mortar only as 
the labor around an opening is equal to labor on brick deducted. 
Some builders never deduct for openings, but do not figure for 
mortar. 


BRICK PIERS. 

On good size brick, 13-inch pier will require 18 brick to the 


foot in height. 

18 brick at $8.00_ .14 

Vl hour labor(mason and 

tender at 80c)_ .40 

Mortar_ .04 


r 

Cost per foot in height__ .58 
















THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


27 


Piers 13x17, one-third more than this. 

This table is based on two or three piers, such as residence 
work sometimes requires; a larger amount could be laid cheaper. 
This work goes much slower than ordinary brick work. 


BRICK VRNEBR. 

Box frames, or frames for veneered buildings cost more, 
the price varying in different mills. 

Important — On brick veneered jobs every window or door 
requires an angle iron across top to carry brick above unless 
brick arches are used. These cost about 3c. per lb., or lp^c. 
per inch. 

Buildings to be veneered with brick are usually sheathed 
with matched stuff or ship lap. 

Estimate outside walls for frame and sheathing only. Then 
figure brick as follows: 

A good brick layer and helper will lay 500 common or stock 
brick in eight hours, at a cost of $6.40, or $12.80 per thousand. 
1000 brick cost $10.00, mortar $2.00, labor $12.80. Total, $24.80 
per 1000 laid in wall. 

A good bricklayer and helper will lay 350 pressed brick in 
eight hours, at a cost of $6.40, or $18.29 per 1000 One thousand 
pressed brick cost$20 00, mortar$2.00, labor $18.29. Total, $40.29 
per 1000 laid in wall. Colored mortar costs $1.00 per 1000 extra. 

After estimating all the cost of brick work, deduct cost of 
the brick only, not required for windows and door openings. 

Mortar is estimated at Wi barrels of lime and 1 yard of 
sand to 1000 brick. 50 pounds color to 1000 brick. 

This depends greatly on quality of lime and sand. If these 
are first class, mortar will cost less. Do not forget to increase 
this cost if cement is required also. 

Pressed brick run from $18 00 per 1000 up according to 
quality and number used. 




28 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


CUT STONE SILLS, CAPS AND 
WATERTABLE. 

Cut stone is estimated by the cubic foot, usually $1.50 to 
$1.75 per foot, cut and rubbed. This applies to plain work, of 
course. 

Example—4x6—4 ft. sill equals 2 /z of a cubic foot; 2 /$ of 
$1.50 equals $1.00, cost of sill 4x6—4 ft. 

A simple and surprisingly accurate method for estimating 
used by cut stone contractors a great deal, is to estimate lc. per 
square inch for each inch of the end of the stone. Price to be 
for 1 ft. lineal. 

Example—Sill 4x6. 4x6 equals 24, at lc. equals 24c. per 

lineal foot. It will be seen that a sill 4 ft long would cost 96c. 
or practically the same as the first method. Of course this rule 
only works when stone is about $1.50 per cubic foot. 

If stone can be bought for that price, this rule is recom¬ 
mended for its rapidity. Estimate lineal length of all sills, etc., 
and multiply by the cost per lineal foot. 

Note —Window sills are 16 inches longer than the width of 
the glass. Door sills 12 inches longer than the width of door. 

It is the best plan to get a price on this work from a dealer 
in cut stone on account of the many kinds, shapes and various 
prices. 


CHIMNEYS. 

Chimneys are usually sub-let by the lineal foot in height. 
The general price is for one flue, 8x8, 75c.; double flue, $1.00; 
and fireplace, $2.25. 

If builder wishes to handle this work himself, he can esti¬ 
mate a good brick layer and helper will lay 500 common brick 
a day on small or short chimneys, averaging from bottom to top, 
unless the greater part is above roof. 




THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


29 


Number of standard size brick required for one foot of var¬ 
ious sized chimneys; 

1 flue (8x8)-24 brick 

2“ “ (2 brick x 3V 2 ) — -40 “ 

2 “ “ (if lined with tile)_32 <fc 

2 “ (8x12) (2S brickx3i/ 2 )__46 “ 

2 “ “ (lined)_____36 “ 

Chimneys lined with tile are not so large as no centre par¬ 
tition between the flues is necessary, thus 2 to 2\ 2 brick on a 
course is saved. Fireplace breasts averaging from from cellar 
bottom to five feet above first floor require the following number 
to one foot in height; 


Five foot breast_80 brick 

Six “ “ _100 “ 


Above figures are accurate except on breast, which allows 
about five brick to the foot for slightly different methods of con¬ 
struction. However the amounts given are enough to cover any 
reasonable construction. 

Example—Single flue (8x8): 


24 brick at $8.00_ .19 

Mortar at $2.00 per 1000 _ .05 

Labor, 500, at $6.40 per day ____ .31 


.55 

First class work requires the flues to be lined with square 
tile, which cost 15c. per foot for 8x8, and 20c. for 8x12. 


FIREPLACE CHIMNEYS. 

A brick layer will lay 600 to 700 brick in eight hours on two« 
flue and fireplace breast chimneys. Under first class conditions 
a good mason will lay more than 600, but I have found that 
more than three-fourths of the bricklayers l have had would 
not lay more than this amount a day under ordinary conditions. 
In this locality we run the breast up to five feet apove first floor 
and stud up the balance. This-makes-about 13 feet of breast. 












30 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


allowing for seven foot cellar, joists and five feet above. From 
this point figure for the two flues only. I give table for cost of 
one foot of breast using 80 brick as an average for 13 feet. I 
always build the ash pit 21 2 brick thick. 


80 brick at $8.00_$0.64 

Mortar at $2.00_ .16 

Labor, 600 per day, at $6.40_ .85 


$1.65 per foot. 

As a breast should have a good foundation and an iron ash 
pit door, we must consider these also. Saying nothing about 
the gravel, a sack of cement will cost 40c., the door (10x12) 
70c., and half an hour for the mason and helper putting in the 
foundation 40c., makes $1.50, or about the price of another foot 
of breast. Therefore in measuring a breast from plan I add 
one foot to the height to cover the cost of door and concrete 
footing. For the two flue part above the breast we find that 40 
brick are required, so we take just half of the breast price, or 
83c. If chimney is to have 8x12 flues it requires about ten per 
cent more buck, therefore add ten per cent to cost of table 
given for 8x8 flues and breast. Ten cents expended in mortar 
color will save an hour’s time at least in topping out a chimney. 


CISTERNS. 

Are priced by the barrel. Cisterns with sides plastered on 
the earth cost 35c. per barrel, and bricked up from bottom 50c. 
per barrel in this locality. 

Table for 40-barrel cistern, plastered on eartlr 


300 brick for arch, at $8.00,_$2.40 

Manhole and 2 tile_ 1.00 

2 days com. labor, 1 day mason. 8.40 

Cement, 4 sacks_ 1.50 

Lime and sand_ .50 


40)$13.80(34i / 2 c 












THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


31 


To brick up a 40-barrel cistern from bottom to arch requires 
300brick=$2.40, mortar, 30c., half day mason and tender, $3.20. 
Total 15.90, or 15c. per bbl. extra. 

The following table gives the number of barrels to one foot 
in depth for various size cisterns: 

6 feet wide —..6.71 barrels 

6 ft. 6 in. wide_ 7 88 “ 

7 ft. “ _9.14 “ 

7 ft. 6 in. “ _10 49 “ 

8 ft. “ _11.93 “ 

These amounts are found by multiplying the square of the 
diameter by .7854 and dividing the result by 4.21 (number of 
cubic feet in barrel). 

Filters are sometimes built in cisterns. As good a way as 
any is to build it dome shaped, about 30 inches in diameter and 
3 feet high, on bottom of cistern. Build of porous brick laid in 
rich cement-mortar. Wet the brick. The inlet pipe goes 
to cistern proper and water is drawn from inside of filterer. 
Such a filterer requires about 100 brick, 80c; 2 hours’ time, 
$1.60; and a sack of cement, 40c., or $2.80 total. 


TINNER’S WORK. 


I use a list of prices as follows for this class of work. Your 


tinsmith will give you the prices per foot. 

Common 3-in. trough_ 8c. per foot. 

“ 5-in. “ ' __10c. 

Square hanging gutter, 4 in-13c. 

Molded O. G. hanging gutter-15c. 

2- in. plain conductor_8c. 

3- in. “ “ 10c. 


Square corrugated conductor-12c. 

Polygon conductor-16 to 20c. 

Tin roofing, common_$6.50 per square. 

Tin roofing, old style-8.00 

Valley tin_7c. per lineal foot. 

Cut-offs_50 to 80c. each. 


Have the price on conductors include the elbows. 


















32 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


PAINTING. 

If the builder does not wish to let this out to his painter, he 

can estimate from a table like the following. Every locality 

lias an established scale of prices for the different kinds of work. 

Outside wall, per yard, 2 coats-$0.16 

Inside painting, per yard, 2 coats- .20 

1 coat liquid filler and 2 coats varnish < inside) .25 
1 coat paste filler and 2 coats varnish (inside) .40 
1 “ “ “ “ “ “ (rubbed) .60 

4 coats paint, 2 coats enamel- .60 

Note —Hard woods are filled with a paste filler. 

In estimating inside finishing, estimate each foot of base at 
^ yard; each window at 2 yards; each door at 7 yards; box 
stairs at 12 to 15 yards; open stairs at 25 to 40 yards. 

1000 shingles dipped 10 inches in stain and given one coat 
of stain after being laid requires 3 gals, stain at 50c. per gal., 
which is $1.50 plus 75c. for labor, equals $2.25 per 1000, or 
16c. per yard, or about the same as two coats of paint brushed 
on the, siding. 1000 shingles cover 14 yards. 

Openings are not deducted in estimating painting outside 
walls. 

LATHING. 

100 yards lathing, not counting out the openings, requires 
26 to 30 bunches of lath 4 feet long, the difference being in the 
number and size of the openings and width of lath. Lath run 
from W\ to 1 % inches wide according to the mill where they 
are made and whether dry or green. 28 bunches is a fair aver¬ 
age, so we will consider this amount in our calculation. In this 
locality lathing is done by the yard for labor on ordinary work. 
Difficult work and patching is done by the day. Lathers on new 
work put on from 100 to 150 yards in eight hours. 


Table for 100 yards: 

28 bunches lath at 28L*c_$8.05 

Labor, at 3c. per yard_3.00 

8 pounds nails at 3c_ .24 


$11.29 or about 11 Lfc. 

per yard. 










THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


33 


PLASTERING. 

Patent hard wall gypsum plasters have crowded lime mortar 
out of the market so we will consider only the former. Plaster¬ 
ing is always estimated by the yard, and is generally let out on 
this basis. Openings are not deducted unless very large, and 
this depends on custom in the various parts of the country. The 
table below showing cost of 250 yards, is based on one plasterer 
and one tender browning 125 yards in 8 hours, and two plaster¬ 
ers and one helper doing 200 yards of finishing in 8 hours. 
Granulated or sand finish, sometimes called carpet or felt-float 
work, costs same as white putty finish. For finishing, hydrated 
lime is now used instead of slacking lime at the job. This is 
lime that has been slacked, dried, ground and passed through a 
bolter. It is ready to use by merely soaking with water over 
night. Calcined plaster or plaster of Paris is used with each 
batch for guaging, same as with the old fashioned lime putty. 


Table for 250 yards: 

1 ton patent gypsum plaster_$8.00 

2Y 2 yards sand_ 1 67 

20 sacks lime finish, at 20c_4.00 

l!/ 2 sacks stucco_ .60 

2 days at browning, at $6.00-12 00 

2 V 2 days at finishing_12.50 


250)38.77(15y 2 c. 

15 1 2 C.-f-l 1 *4c =26%c. complete for lath and plaster. 
Plastering contractors get from 2c. to 4c. a yard more than 

this. 


CEMENT WAINSCOTING. 

Cement wainscoting is done with Keene’s cement, manu¬ 
factured by the Hunkins-Willis Lime & Cement Co., St. Louis, 
Mo. It retails for $1.50 per 100 pounds. It is applied like 










34 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


plaster and generally marked off into 6-inch squares to resemble 
tiling. After it is marked off it is usually enameled. 

The following table is for 35 yards: 


1 sack cement for first coat-$ 1.50 

1 bu. hair_ .20 

2 pails putty_ • 15 

10 pails sand_ ■ 10 

1 sack cement for second coat- 1.50 

2 pails putty_1 .15 

15 pails sand_ .15 

1 sack cement for finish_ 1.50 

1 pail putty_ .08 

1 day plasterer_ 4.00 

1 day helper_ 2.00 


35)111.33(32 per yd. 

Add cost of lath and labor_ 11 


43c. per yd. 
complete. 

For marking off add 5 hours’ work for plasterer and helper, 
or $3.75, which is about 10c. per yard. If wainscot is to be laid 
off into rectangles with the joints broken, the labor is double 
that for marking the squares, or 20c. per yard. 

Above figures do not include enamel. 

Expanded metal lath costs 20c. per yard, and 5c. for put¬ 
ting up, total 25c. As wood lath, put up, costs 11c. per yard, 
the metal would cost 14c. more. (See lath table for wood lath.) 
It is not necessary to have metal lath for Keene’s cement. Es¬ 
timate Vt, more material for metal lath. 

A good substitute for this work is to plaster wainscoting 
with regular hard mortar and finish with Keene’s cement. One 
sack cement and one pail of putty will do any ordinary bath¬ 
room in this manner, so the extra cost is only $1.50 for the 
cement, and 10c. or 20c per yard for marking. 

Full particulars of this cement can be had of the firm men¬ 
tioned, also information as to the tool for marking off. 

Where the last coat only is of Keene’s cement applied over 




















THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


35 


common plaster, builder estimates room along with the other 
plastering, at same price, then adds $1 50 for sack of Keene’s 
cement, and 10c. or 20c. per yard for marking. 



FLOORS. 

In estimating sills, girders, joists, flooring, etc., the 
common methods in use in the past, and to some extent 
today, consist of taking off each piece of sill, girder and joist 
separately, then the flooring, bridging, nails, and finally the 
labor for each item. This method is very slow, so many figures 
are handled that mistakes are apt to creep in, and one must be 
very careful or something may be left out. 

There are several styles of constructing framing for floors 
for houses, one of which is to use the 6x8 sill on the wall, 6x8 
cross girder and 2x8 joists. While this style has been super- 
ceded almost entirely in most parts of the country by the box 
sill or bond plate style, for the benefit of those builders who 
still use this style we will analyze a square to see what material 
is required. Taking ordinary housework each 10x10 square of 










<36 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


floor requires on an average 15 lineal feet of sill, 5 lineal feet 
<of girder and seven 2x8-10 joists. For example, take a floor 
24 ft. x 30 ft., which is 720 square feet surface, or 7.2 squares. 
7.2x15 lineal feet of sill gives 108 feet or just what is required 
on wall. 7.2x5 lineal feet of girder gives 36 lineal feet for 
girder or 6 feet more than is required. A floor 20x30, being 6 
squares, would allow 90 feet of sill where 100 feet would be re¬ 
quired, but 6 square would allow 30 feet of girder where 20 feet 
is all that is required, so you see that in allowing 20 feet lineal 
of 6 x 8 for sills and girders, we have enough. Sometimes we 
lack a little on the sill and make it up on the girder, and again 
it is the other way. As jobs get larger we save on sills and use 
it up on the girders A floor 20x40, or 8 squares, would run out 
just right, as according to my average 8 x 20 lineal feet equals 
160 lineal feet. This floor would require 120 lineal feet of sill 
and 2 girders 20 feet each or 160 lineal feet total, or just the 
same as my average. If a builder will take the trouble to try 
out a few plans on this basis, and then estimate the actual feet 
required, he will be convinced that the average is right. Large 
floor plans do not require quite as much sills and girders as this 
sometimes, but usually use up the saving in extra joist used 
under partitions, trimming, etc. Seven 2x8 10 joist to a square 
allows a little waste or enough for doubling under the partitions 
not setting upon girders. For example the 20x30 floor would 
require fourteen 2x8-14 joist and fourteen 2x8-16 joist, or a 
total of 560 board feet. 20x30 is 6 squares, and seven 2x8-10 
joist equals 931 ,3 board feet, 6 x 9313 feet equals 560 feet or just 
what is actually required. In spacing these joists off on this 
floor two of them would come only two inches apart and would 
go under a partition, so it is readily seen that for ordinary con¬ 
ditions we have enough allowed at 931 ^ feet to a square. If a 
builder thinks this too close he might add a little in his table for 
waste, bad joists, etc., but it is not needed once in a dozen 
times unless joists run bad, and if lie pays for first class stuff, 
he should insist upon getting it. In comparing a great many 





THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


3 7 


jobs, actual requirements against this average, the difference 
has never exceeded $1.00 either way, and how many times in 
taking off joists piece by piece do you get as close as this, un¬ 
less you draw out the floor plan showing every joist? Stairway, 
openings do not save anything as the pieces saved are needed 
for trimming the opening. In estimating flooring add one-fourth, 
for 4-inch flooring and one-fifth for 6-inch. So much for ex¬ 
planation. Now we will put all these items of sills, joist, floor-, 
ing, etc., in one table in order to get a price per square, cover¬ 
ing the entire floor. For example—a floor 20x30, or 6 squares 
at $11.14 per square is $66.84, only one calculation, which in-, 
eludes the whole floor, all material and labor. Which way do 
you elect to use; this simple, easy way, practically avoiding 
omissions, or,the old, slower method, which, if no mistakes are 
made, only gives the same result? The builder should make, 
tables covering the different styles of framing used in his par¬ 
ticular business, then when called upon to estimate he only, 
needs get the square measure by the cost per square. 












38 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


(See Fig. 1.) 


Table A-First Floor Material 

Labor 

20 ft. lin. 6x8=80 ft. at $26.00.. 

$2.08 

$1.40 (4 hours) 

Seven 2x8x10=931^ ft. at $24.00 

2.24 

.47 (IV 3 hours) 

16 pieces bridging 1x3=16 in. . 

.15 

.... 

Nails..-- 

.10 


125 ft.yellow pine fl’g. at $32.00 

4.00 

.70 (2 hours) 

Cost of 1 sq. 10x10- 

$8.57 

$2.57 

Total, $11.14 

Second Floor. Material 

Labor 

Eight 2x8x10=107 ft. at $24.00 

$2.57 

$ .53 (1^2 hours) 

16 pieces of bridging-- 

.15 


Nails_ 

.10 


125 ft. yellow pine flooring- 

4.00 

.70 

Cost of 1 sq. 10x10... 

$6.82 

$1.23 

Total, $8.05 

Notice that sills are omitted 

added. 

on second floor and one joist 

If second floor is the same 

thus: 

size as 

first, average the two 

Cost of first .. 


_$31.14 

Cost of second. 


_ 8.05 

Total_ 


_$19.19 


Average cost per floor, $9.60. 


FLOOR LINING LAID DIAGONALLY. 


Use this with table A if desired: 

Requires 110 feet of hemlock boards, at $23.00__$2 53 

Labor 1 Vz hours, at 35c___ .47 

Nails_____ .05 


Cost per square, extra...$3.05 

























THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


39 


BOX SILL STYLE, (Fig. 2 and 3.) 



One of the best and most popular styles of floor construc¬ 
tion is shown in Figs. 2 and 3. As is seen, the sill consists of a 
2x8 on wall and 2x10 edgewise on same. Both are spiked 
together and leveled, then the girders and joist are placed. The 
sill should be run entirely around the building and thoroughly 
spiked into the ends of the joists. The floor lining is laid next, 
diagonally across the building, and a 2x4 plate run around edge 
of building to rest the studding on. Some builders run studs 
down to wall plate, but this is poor practice, because the centre 
partitions rest on a shoe or plate which is on top of the floor 
lining, thus giving more timber in centre of building than on 
sides to shrink. Then if studs are run down to wall plate the 
height of building is decreased 8 to 10 inches. Also, when the 
studs are run down to plate, the ends of joists are generally left 
open, the upright piece of the sill being omitted. This leaves 
an air shaft or flue from the cellar up between every pair of 
studs, a bad thing in case of fire, and making it easy for rats 
and mice to get into walls from cellar. Sometimes the space 






















40 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


from wall to floor is bricked in to close this space up, but it costs 
more than the lumber saved in slighting the sill. The complete 
box sill is considered stronger and better in every way although 
it costs a little more. The table of costs for floors built like 
Figs. 2 and 3 are based on price of joists up to and including 
16 ft. lengths, which is as long as 2x10 joists ought to be used 
in house work. In most parts of the country 18 and 20 ft. joists 
cost 14.00 or $5.00 per thousand more than 16 ft. lengths, but as 
the percentage of cross girders would be less if long joists were 
used the price would not be affected much from that given in 
the following table. The average material required for a square 
of floor for this construction has been analyzed along the same 
lines as laid out in the first part of this subject, the 6x8 sill 
being omitted and an extra joist added. 


Table B—First Floor Material 


Labor 


15 ft. 2x8 for box sill=_ 

15 ft. 2x10 “ “ =__ 

8 ft. 2x10 10 joists =__ 
5 ft. lin. 6x10girder =__ 
10 ft. lin. 2x4 for “ =.. 


20 ft. 1 

25 ft. 

133 ft. }> $1.40 (4 hours) 
25 ft. 

7 ft. J 


210 ft. 

at $24 00=$5.04 


110 ft. floor lining at $23.00 _ 2.53 

Nails_ .10 

16 pieces bridging, 2x2_ .20 


.47 (li/ 3 hrs) 


$7.87 $1.87 

7.87 


Total___$9.74 


Second Floor. Material 

Eight 2x10-10=133 ft. at $24.00 $3.19 

Nails and bridging as above_ .30 

125 ft yellow pine flooring at $32 4.00 


Labor 

$0.61 (1^4 hours) 
.70 


Total, $8.80 per square_ $7.49 $1.31 


It will be noticed that Fig. 3 shows girder flush with joists. 
This girder is sometimes dropped below the joists, in which 
















THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


41 


case the 2x4 pieces, spiked or bolted on sides, would be omitted. 
However this method is not as good as there is usually about 
half an inch of shrinkage in a 10-inch girder, and as there 
would be none on the outside walls the floor along the line of the 
girder would be apt to be lower after the shrinkage had taken 
place. This style of placing girder has its advantages when 
heating pipes are to be taken up, in as much as the girder does 
not have to be cut into, but care should be used in getting the 
girder as dry as possible. Where house is to be heated with 
other means than hot air furnace it is best to place girder flush. 
6x10 girders are usually built up from 2x10 joists bolted or 
spiked together securely. In fairly good houses a common floor 
or lining is laid as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and price in Table B 
is based on this method, the top or finished flooring being laid 
after plastering, and sometimes the finishing, is done. These 
floors are estimated separately, and room sizes only need be 
estimated. 

No. 1 common yellow pine flooring, 4-inch, requires 125 feet 
to lay a square, and four hours to lay same. Thus 125X^32.00 
is $4.00, and four hours’ labor is $1.40, or a total of $5.40 per 
square. In Table A, and second floor of Table B only three 
hours is figured for laying a square of flooring this width, but 
as these floors are generally laid before many of the partitions 
are set, they lay faster, where in laying floors after partitions 
are up, and in many cases after finish is on, more care is needed 
in laying. Many houses have oak borders and yellow pine 
centres, which requires good joint where floors join, so four 
hours is none too much to figure as an average. 

Oak floors are laid of % and % matched flooring, generally 
2 V\ inch face, although f 5 g unmatched oak floor is sometimes 
laid, but generally in old houses. These latter floors are not, 
as a rule, satisfactory, unless a good level floor is had to lay 
them on, then they should be glued down and must be nailed 
through the face which does not look very well. Oak floors are 
laid in borders, usually with pine centres; although hall floors, 




42 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


being more or less cut up, are laid all one way and solid. In 
giving prices for laying oak floors it is hard proposition, for one 
builder will dp a better job than another. It requires 140 ft. of 
2V\ face flooring to lay a square, this allows only 7 ft. for waste. 
A square ought to be laid in six hours, and twelve hours for one 
man does a fairly good job for dressing and scraping, although 
some floors have twice this amount expended upon them. 


140 ft. 1/g oak flooring at $70.00-$ 9.80 

6 hours laying_ 2.10 

12 hours dressing and scraping- 4.20 

Nails and paper- .15 


$16.25 or 16!4c 
per square foot complete. 

In estimating surface for borders take length around room 
by the width of border. This gets the corners twice which 
allows a little for waste and the extra work required in dressing 
the corners where mitred or butted. This applies to borders 
from eighteen inches to two feet wide. If a whole room had 
an oak floor laid in from every side to centre, just figure the 
room size, but add about four hours per square for labor, as these 
corners require quite a little attention. Don’t forget to, figure 
the flooring in door ways. Clear end matched flooring has 
practically no end waste. Tables may be made for other kinds 
of flooring, which builder may use in his locality. 


OUTSIDE WALLS. 

In estimating outside walls for frame buildings, the majority 
of builders take off the studs, plates, ribs, sheathing, siding or 
shingles, paper, nails, and labor, for each item separately. They 
generally allow one stud to a foot around the building if studs 
are set 16 inches on centres; the extra studs being allowed for 








THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


43 


corners and trimming openings. Some builders get the outside 
around building into inches and divide by 16, which gives regu¬ 
lar studs, then add for corners, and 16 to 18 lineal feet of 2x4 
for each opening if double studded. Then they take length 
around the building two or three times for the plates Then 
distance around by the height for boarding, letting the openings 
go for waste in stock. Then add one-fifth to one-fourth to this 
for siding, if there are an ordinary number of openings. If no 
openings add one-half for 4-inch siding. The building paper 
is easily computed from the sheathing as there are 500 feet to 
a roll. Nails for studding iy 2 pounds per square of outside 
wall, sheathing 2 pounds, siding 3 pounds Labor is generally 
figured at so much-per thousand as follows: 

300 board feet of studs and plates, one man, 8 hours. 

400 feet sheathing, one man, 8 hours. 

2 square siding, one man, 8 hours. 

Now, all this is very well if it did not take so long to figure 
out all the stuff required each time. My method is to combine 
all these items in one table based on 10x10, or one square, then 
the square feet of surface in outside wall by price per square is 
all the figuring necessary. Also, by having less figures to 
handle the risk of errors and omissions is cut down to a mini¬ 
mum. Each builder must make his own schedules for the sev¬ 
eral different kinds of walls. This is a little work at first, but 
it saves a whole lot of time when called upon to estimate a 
building. 

We will now take a plan 24x28x18 feet high, and estimate 
the material by both methods, then the builder can decide which 
way is the best. 

24x28= 104 feet around house by 12 inches=1248 inches-s- 
by 16 inches=78 studsfi-8 extra for the four corners is 86 2x4— 


18 feet, or_1032 board feet 

104x3=312 lineal feet plates, equals_ 208 “ 

13 openings, 18 feet lineal 2x4, equals_ 156 “ 


1396 “ 








44 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


Now, my rule is to allow 75 board feet of 2x4 to each square 
of outside wall thus, 104x18—1872 square feet surface on out¬ 
side of building, 18.72 square by 75 feet to the square = 1404 
board feet required by the short method. It is readily seen that 
there is only eight feet difference in the two calculations, which is 
as near as we can expect to get to the exact amount by any 
method. Even the piece by piece method does not always come 
out just right to a 2x4 as a rule. If the house were a little larger 
with same openings the short method would run a little ahead, 
while if smaller, would run a little behind. However, in esti¬ 
mating a great many houses I have found 75 feet, board feet, of 
2x4 is the average amount used in the outside walls per square. 

I took the 24x28 plan first, to show that my table would cover 
the average small house. Taking a house 30x30x18 feet is 2160 
square feet surface, at 75 feet per square gives 1620 feet for studs, 
plates and trimmers. Now, this plan would require ninety-eight 
2x4-18, or 1176 feet, and 360 lineal feet of plates, or 240 board 
feet. Total, 1416 feet. 1620 feet—1416 feet=204 feet left for 
trimming openings Allowing 12 board feet 2x4 to an opening 
this would allow for seventeen openings, which is about the 
number this size house would require. 

You will say that 75 feet to a square will not be enough if 
studs were only fourteen feet high with the same openings. Let 
us try it on the 24x28 house: 

86 studs, 2x4-14=803 board feet 

Plates,_208 

13 openings,_156 “ 

1167 

Now, 104x14=1456 square feet surface at 75 feet per square 
is 1092 feet required by my rule, and we had 1167 feet required 
by actual deduction, so I am 75 feet short on this height house, 
but a house this height would need gables at least at each end 
or 288 feet of surface for half pitch. Now, as there are no 
plates or trimmers to speak of required in gables, 50 board feet 







THE LIGHTNIMG ESTIMATOR. 


45 


of 2x4 will stud up a square on an average, therefore 144 feet of ’ 
2x4 would be all that was required. Now, according to my rule 
the 288 feet of surface at 75 feet to the square, would amount to 
216 feet allowed for gables, and as I have shown that 144 feet 
is enough, I am now 72 feet ahead on the gables, and as I was 
75 feet short on the sides, I am now short only 3 feet of 2x4 on 
the whole house, or about 8 cents. Of course one would not go 
to all this trouble to figure out every job as I am only trying to 
show that my allowance of 75 feet of 2x4 to a square is ample 
for any kind of a house. A house such as we have just figured 
would probably have less openings than thirteen so we would 
have to be a little ahead in that case. I have analyzed a great 
many houses in this way and have never varied over thirty board 
feet between what was actually required and 75 feet to a square 
Then again, how many times would you get the actual amount 
required in estimating by the old way with the many interup- 
tions and in the odd moments that most of us have for doing our 
estimating? 

The sheathing, siding, nails, paper and labor can be easily 
figured by the square, giving identically the same result as if 
you were to estimate each item separately. I use a table as fol¬ 
lows, combining all the material and labor in the whole outside 
wall surface for one square, then get the number of squares in 
building by price per square; a simple operation taking but a 
few minutes: 


75 board feet 2x4 for studs, plates 

Material 

Labor 

and trimmers, at $24.00__ 

$1 80 

70 (2 hours) 

100 feet sheathing, at $23.00 — 

2.30 

.70 “ 

120 ft. lap siding, at $26.00 - 

3.12 

$1.40 (4 hours) 

One-fifth roll paper, at 75c- 

.15 


6 V 2 pounds nails, at 2 1 2 c _ 

.15 



$7.52 

$2.80 


$7.52-[-$2.80=110.32 per square complete. 





46 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


Now, there is one more item in connection with this table, 
which is, when 18 ft. studs cost more than 12, 14 or 16 ft. lengths. 
In my city 18 ft. studs sell for $4.00 per 1000 more than 12 to 16 
foot lengths. Hence, for a building 18 feet high, we must add 
to table the difference in price for that part of the seventy-five 
feet per square which would be used for studding. I find that 
in allowing 75 ft. of 2x4 to a square that 55 ft. goes for studding 
and the rest for plates and trimming openings. Therefore, 
55x$4.00=22c. per square to be added when figuring a house 
with 18 ft. studding, or $10.32-j-.22=$10.54 per square. 

A point that has been raised, is, that in taking height of a 
building same as studding length, that in case studs rest on top 
of floor or joists more sheathing and siding would be required. 
As to this, I have found that in house work the sheathing saved 
at openings makes up that required along sill, and the drop of 
cornice takes off enough on the height so that no more siding is 
required, in fact with most cornices a little siding is saved. 

Shingled side walls cost more than if sided with lap siding, 
as the labor is much greater. One square of surface would re¬ 
quire 800 shingles at $4.00 per thousand would be $3.20. It takes 
about seven hours on an average to lay a aquare of shingles on 
the side of a building as but one course can be laid at a time, 
and the courses must be kept straight and level. Seven hours 
at 35c. would be $2.45 plus $3.20 for shingles, and about 8c. 
extra for nails would be $5.73. Referring to table we find that 
the siding and labor for one square figured $4.52. The differ¬ 
ence between $5.73 and $4.52 is $1.21, which must be added to 
table if walls are shingled instead of sided, or if first story is 
sided and second story shingled, add 62c. or half of $1.21 to 
table. Also, it will be noticed that table calls for 100 ft. of 
sheathing. This means square edge boards. If 10-inch ship 
lap is used add one-ninth for waste. 





THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 47 


CORNER BOARDS. 

Corner boards for siding - are used various ways, a common 
method being two pieces 1^x3 inches wide with a corner bead 
in the joint, sometimes a quarter-round is used. Estimate the 
lineal feet complete for the three members. 100 feet this style 


would cost as follows: 

200 lin. feet U/ 8 x3=63 ft. at .50_$3.15 

100 “ 1 corner board_1.50 


Labor, including jointing (9hours)__ 3.15 

$7.80 

or about 8c. per lineal foot. 


WATERTABLE. 

Watertable is used along lower edge of houses, and com¬ 
monly consists of a 1x5 or 1x6 base with a beveled or lipped 
cap on the top. Its object, primarily, is to throw the water off, 
but it also adds greatly to the appearance of the building. 100 
feet lineal, including labor, costs as follows: 

100 ft. lin. 1x5, white pine, at $40.00=$ 1.68 


100 ft. cap_ 1.50 

Labor (6 hours)_2.10 


$5.28 

or about 5 I 4 C. per foot lineal. 










48 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


CEILING JOISTS. 

Eight 2x4-10=53 ft., at 124.00—11.27: labor, 35c.; total, $1.62 
Eight 2x6-10=80 ft., at $24 00—$1.92: labor, 40c.; total, $2.32 
These prices per square of 10 feet. 


ROOFS. 


It has been customary in estimating cost of roofs for house 
work to take off all the various lengths of rafter and reduce to 
board feet, then get the surface for roofing and shingles, esti¬ 
mating labor for each item separately. All of these maybe in¬ 
cluded under one head and roofs estimated by the square or 
square foot. Rafters for house work are usually set two feet on 
centres unless they are to be lathed upon, in which case they 
are set sixteen inches on centres. We will first make a table of 
cost for plain roofs without hips nor valleys. Such roofs aver¬ 
age thirty-six board feet of 2x4 to the square, very small roofs 
running a trifle more. 


36 ft. 2x4, at $24.00_ 

100 ft. roofing, at $16.00_ 

800 clear red cedar shingles, at 
$4.50_ 

7 pounds nails_ 


Material Labor 

$0.86 $0.35 (1 hour) 

1.60 .53 (1^2 hours) 

3.60 1.12 (34 hours, or 

.20 2000 in 8 h’ rs) 


$6 26 $2.00 
6.26 


Total-$8.26 per square. 

Some of the estimating books upon the market lay great 
stress on the measuring of roofs, hip and valley roofs in par¬ 
ticular, giving diagrams and explanations showing how to figure 








THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


49 


the surface of all the various triangles, etc., in roofs of this sort. 
The fact of the matter is this: As far as surface measure is 
concerned it does not matter what kind of a roof is put on a 
building, the surface is the same as long as the pitch and pro- 
jection of cornice are the same Don’t understand me as re¬ 
ferring to material required, as hip and valley roofs require 
extra rafters and there is waste on roofing and shingles. The 
best way to get surface of a roof is to multiply length of com¬ 
mon rafter and projection by the length of roof includ¬ 
ing projection, and double for the two sides. For instance, a 
house 24x28, one-lialf pitch roof, gable each end, rafter would 
be seventeen feet long to plate and we will say two feet projec¬ 
tion (on the slant) makes nineteen feet. Length of roof twenty- 
eight feet plus projection on each end, which we will call 
eighteen inches in this case, would be thirty-one feet. 19x31 = 
589 square feet by 2=1178 square feet in roof. 

It would not matter if this roof had a hip on each corner in 
place of the gables, or if there were four gables, as long as the 
plate was all the same height. A roof with a dormer would con¬ 
tain more feet than one without as the projection on dormer 
would need be roofed over a part of main roof already roofed. 
Dormers should be estimated separately from roofs, and not 
considered at all in getting surface of main roofs. 

A house 24x28 with roof hipped in from corners, while hav¬ 
ing the same surface, requires more material for rafters, that is 
for the hips, the common rafters remaining the same, averag¬ 
ing thirty-six board feet to the square. Hip roofs average about 
ten lineal feet of hip rafter to a square This is based on an 
average taken from houses 20x20 up to 28x36, which is a fair 
example of the size houses ordinarily built. 2x6 are usually 
used for hips on houses of this class, although 2x8 are some¬ 
times used, generally when roof is large enough to require 2x6 
common rafters. It is not as necessary to have extra material 
in a hip rafter as a valley, for in the former every jack rafter is 
a brace, and in the latter greater weight comes on the valley 



50 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


rafter, and it is not an uncommon sight to see valley rafters 
doubled on large roofs. 

A shingle is supposed to be four inches wide, and if laid 
five inches to the weather would lay twenty square inches, or 
require 720 to a square, but as no allowance has been made for 
double courses at eaves nor for waste and shortage, I have used 
800 per square for plain roofs, as will be noticed by referring 
to table. Now, hip and valley roofs waste a half a shingle for 
every one laid along the hip or valley, but even at that 800 
shingles generally lays a square on any kind of a roof if shingles 
are laid five inches to weather. 

If a roof has a hip and valley, sometimes the part of 
shingles left after hips are cut are used for the valleys. I have 
used 800 as an average for all roofs for years and find it always 
runs pretty close. However, each builder can figure this out for 
himself on the basis of one shingle being four inches wide by 
whatever exposure he wishes to give. We found that 720 
shingles would just lay a square if there was no waste. Now, 
bear in mind, if you are going to figure this close that you get 
in the double courses and take each hip and valley one foot 
wide by their length and add to your surface before reducing to 
number of shingles. 

The table on plain roofs allowed 100 feet of roofing to a 
square which might be a little too much if roofing was narrow 
and of good quality as the 2-inch spaces would be saved on 
roofing. However it is customary to allow this amount as there 
are several places around a building where roofing is used and 
seldom figured, such as ribbons for joist, capping partitions, 
stay-braces on frame, etc. Then sometimes there is quite a 
little waste, and there is sure to be on hip and valley roofs. 
Below is a table of cost for ordinary hip roots which, it will be 
noticed, is about the same for material as the plain roof table, 
with the additions of hip and hip roll. The labor is increased 
on account of the extra work framing and shingling. 





THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


51 


36 board ft. 2x4 for com. rafters 

at $24 00-__ 

10 lin ft. 2x6 hip rafter=10 ft. 

at $28.00 _ 

100 ft. roofing, at $16.00_ 

800 shingles, clear, at $4.50_ 

10 ft. galv. iron hip roll.. 

7 pounds nails._.. 


Material 

Labor 

$0.86 ) 


.28 ) 

$0.53 (lb^ hours.) 

1.60 

.53 (1^2 hours.) 

3.60 

1.40 (4 hours.) 

.50 

.20 


$7 04 

$2.46 


or $9.50 per square complete, or 9 1 ^c. per square foot. 


It will be noticed that hip rafter is figured at $28.00 per 
thousand in above table as this is the price for piece stuff from 
18 to 22 feet long, which is about the length of ordinary hip 
rafters. The above table is intended, primarily, to take care of 
the ordinary square house so much in style today - houses from 
20x24 up to 28x36—but this price would also be about right for 
hip and valley roofs in general for ordinary house work. I have 
shown how two different roofs may be tablized for future esti¬ 
mating, and will leave it to each builder to make tables to suit 
himself and his particular style of work, The only way to do 
this is to take a roof you are estimating and take off all the 
rafters carefully, reduce to board feet, and then divide by the 
number of squares in the roof. One would not want to do this 
every time he estimated a job, but after you have gone to the 
trouble once you have a price per square for all future estimat¬ 
ing on this particular style of roof. 

As has been stated, the tables are based on rafters set 2 ft. 
on centres. If set sixteen inches on centres add 50 percent, of 
the cost of rafter and labor, or 60c. per square for plain roofs. 











52 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


SLATE ROOFS. 


Roofs prepared for slating require matched roofing and not 
less than 2x6 rafters. On the latter the length and pitch govern 
the size, although for ordinary roofs 2x6 is large enough. Slate 
is usually let out by the square or job to roofer. There are many 
kinds of slate and several sizes, so it is well to take this matter 
up with a roofer who is posted as to local prices, as freight is a 
large factor in making a price on slate, particularly in less than 
car lots. A good way to estimate this work is to take the roof¬ 
ing and rafters as one item and the slate as another. Another 
reason for urging the general contractor to see a slater 
before tendering his bid is on account of the different ways 
slaters have of measuring this work in different parts of the 
country. The usual method in measuring a slate roof is to allow 
one course extra for doubling at eaves and add six inches at 
each end of roof for breaking joints. Hips and valleys are 
added at one foot wide by their length. 

Roofs ready to lay slate upon would cost as follows; 


54 board feet 2x6 for rafters, at 

$24 00_ 

120 feet 6-inch matched roofing 

at $26.00 _ 

Nails_ 


Material 

Labor 

$1.30 

$0.53 (IV 2 hours) 

3.12 

LOS' (3 hours.) 

.10 

$4.52 

$1.58 


Total,-$6.10 per square. 

Hip and valley roofs would average about 10 lineal feet 2x8 
per square extra for hip and valley rafters, same as explained 
under heading of shingled roofs. 









THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


53 


DORMER WINDOWS. 

Dormer windows occurring in new work are usually esti¬ 
mated in with the various parts of the main building, such as 
studs, rafters, sheathing, roofing, shingles, etc. While this is 
probably near enough ordinarily, it is a fact that the labor cost 
is more in proportion to the material used in a dormer than on 
the main part of the building. This is on account of a great 
deal of cutting and a more difficult place to work. It is a good 
plan to have estimates made on several styles of dormers such 
as are generally used, then in estimating a plan, the builder may 
make one item of dormers and save estimating all the different 
material and labor for every job. Nearly all the square houses 
built today have one or more dormers, and they do not vary 
much in style. They average about six feet wide and five feet 
high. I will give an estimate on a dormer of this style, same 
to have hip roof, 18-inch plancher, shingled sides, and one 
2 light window and frame. Size, .6 feet wide, studs 4 feet 8 
inches high: 


60 board feet 2x4 for studs and plates_$ 1.44 

50 “ 2x4 for rafters_ 1.20 

60 feet sheathing_ 1.38 

100 feet roofing_ 1.80 

800 shingles, clears, at $4.50_ 3.60 

250 shingles for sides, at $4 00_ 1.00 

24 lin. feet of cornice, lumber and moldings. 3 36 

1 window and frame 28x16, 2-light- 4.00 

24 feet ridge roll and hip roll_ 1.20 

Nails_ .20 

16 feet valley tin_ .96 

32 hours labor_ 11.20 


$31.34 

Now, on a new building the space covered by the dormer 
is open, therefore the roofing and shingles for this part of main 
roof may be deducted. Nothing is deducted for main rafters 
as some builders leave them in just as if there were no dormer, 















54 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


while others double the main rafters under the sides of the dor¬ 
mer. On a dormer such as we have estimated, the main roofing 
saved would be a space 6 ft. wide by 8 ft. 5 in. long, or the 
length up the roof from front of dormer to point where dormer 
plate strikes roof. This would be 50 feet, at $18.00 would be 
90c.; labor (as per table of hip roofs) would be 27c., or a total 
of $1.17, saved on roofing. There would be 25 feet more space 
saved on the shingling for that part of main roof not covered 
under the dormer roof from plate intersection to ridge intersec¬ 
tion. Seventy-five feet would require 600 shingles, at $4.50 
would be $2.70, and labor, $1.05, makes a total Saved on 
shingles of $3,75. Add to this the $1.17 Saved on roofing, 
makes $4.92 that may be deducted from the cost of dormer for 
that part of main roof under dormer roof. The point is some¬ 
times raised that there would be nothing extra for roof and 
shingles for a dormer, but it is readily seen that the overhang 
of the dormer cornice would cover a part of main roof already 
shingled. 



THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


55 




Above cornice costs as follows: Notice the table is for two 
lineal feet, and then price per foot tound from this. I give price 
on two feet, as it requires one sawed rafter end to each two feet 
of cornice: 

1 sawed rafter end 2x6x4 feet__ .30 

6 feet ceiling, at 38c_.__ .23 

2 lineal feet 1x4 and 1x6 white pine, at $40.00._ .07 

2 feet molding, 2c.; nails, \c.. __ .03 

Labor____ .20 


Total cost of two lineal feet___ .83 

or 41 L^c. per foot. 

Two men will put up fifty-five feet of this cornice in eight 
hours. 

This cornice is used on square houses a great deal. Builder 
should take measure around outside of fascia so as to get the 
projections at corners. 


























THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


56 


CORNICE. 



Figure 1—Scale Jg inch = 1 inch. 
Cornice is estimated by the lineal foot. 

REGULAR CORNICE. (Fig. 1.) 


No. 1 Select < 
white pine. 




1 lineal foot 1x12_ 

1 lineal foot 1x8 { 

1 lineal foot 1x4 j - 

1 lineal foot crown mold 
1 lineal foot bed mo!d__ 
Labor, hour_ 


$0,045 

.04 

. .025 
. .01 
. .12 


Per lineal foot 


$0.24 























THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


CORNICE. 



(Figure 2.) 

























58 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


Box cornice (Fig. 2) is more expensive because of the re¬ 
turns, which require tinning or shingling, also this style requires 
lookouts to carry it. The cost averages 3c. per foot more than 
regular style, on eaves, but the builder saves about twelve inches 
of siding, which nearly balances the additional cost. 

Note — Box cornice takes more feet on account of the re¬ 
turns. This is mentioned merely because a builder is apt to 
forget it if estimating from a plan without elevations. Decking 
returns and covering with tin cost 50c. each. 

If a 12-inch frieze is used with an archatrave molding, add 
5c. per foot. For bracket cornice get the price of brackets from 
planing mill and add to box cornice price and allow from 5c. to 


8c. each for labor. 

Example: —- 

Regular cornice price._..._$0 24 

1 bracket to foot_______10 

Extra for 12-inch frieze and molding__ .05 

Extra labor setting brackets.. .06 


$0.45 

The double houses shown in front of this book have cornice 
similar to above table. Circular cornices such as are required 
on towers should be about double price, both for material and 
labor. 









S3 



scAU'/gV: 








































60 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


PORCH WORK. 


There is a wide range of detail used in building porches, 
but as every builder builds a great many of similar design it is 
handy to have tables of cost prepared for the various parts of the 
work he uses mostly Ordinary wood porches, similar in detail 
to illustration, may be estimated as follows: Floors, ceilings 
and roofs at so much per square foot; cornice, railing and 
skirting at so much per lineal foot; columns and steps as sepa¬ 
rate items. A few tables showing cost of these various parts of 
the work follow: 

FLOORS. 

Common porch floors are usually built with 2x8 joists, sup¬ 
ported on 6x6 posts resting on a concrete footing in ground. 
Joists are set 16 to 18 inches on centres. A square of this con¬ 
struction requires on an average 125 board feet of lumber for 
joists and posts: 

Material Labor 

125 feet lumber, joists and posts, 

at $24 00.____... $3.00 $1.40 (4 hours.) 

125 feet yellow pine 4-in. flooring 

at $38.00_ 4.75 1.05 (3 hours.) 

Nails_ .10 


$7.85 $2.45 

Total $10.30 per square. 

Cypress flooring at $45.00, would cost 88c per square more. 
Leading joints, 50c. per square extra. 


PORCH CEILINGS. 


Estimate ceilings same size as floor. The table of cost 
following does not give quite as much ceiling to the square as 
the floor table did for flooring, as the width of soffit on cornice 
is taken out. Detail shows ceiling joists running out to catch 
the cornice. These joists average 50 board feet of 2x4 to the 
square. 








THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


61 


50 feet 2x4 for joists, at $24.00-. 

115 feet 4-inch yellow pine ceil¬ 
ing, at $31.00_ 

40 feet cove molding_ 

Nails_ 


Material Labor 

$1.20 $0.70 (2 hours.) 

3.57 1.40 

.30 

.10 


$5.17 $2.10 

Total $7.27 per square. 

PORCH ROOFS—SHINGLED. 

Take length of roof over all by the length of common rafter 
out to the crown molding, to get the surface, then estimate by 
price per square or square foot. Rafters are usually set two 
feet on centres and average 40 board feet of 2x4 to a square of 
roof. This allows for hips from corners. 

Labor costs more on porcli roofs than on house roofs because 
there is more work in proportion to the size. 


Material 

Labor 

40 feet 2x4 rafters, at $24.00 _ 

$0 96 

$1.05 (3 hours ) 

100 feet roofing, at $16.00 

1.60 

.70 (2 hours.) 

800 shingles, clears, at $4.50- 

3.60 

2.10 (6 hours.) 

Nails. - - 

.20 


15 feet galv. iron ridge roll (av.) 

.75 


Twenty-five 5x7 flashing tins — 

.20 


Total $11.16 per square. 

$7.31 

$3.85 


PORCH SKIRTING. 

Skirting consists of that part of the porch from floor to 
ground. This is built in a number of ways. The common way 
is to cut a 2x4 between the posts, flush with joist, and about an 
inch or two from the ground. To this are nailed upright beaded 
slats about three-fourths inch apart. Over the slats the casings 
are placed, the one under the floor being eight inches wide and 












62 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


the bottom usually six inches wide. A table of cost for 10 lineal 
feet is given below; 

One 2x4-10, at $24.00. __..$0.16 

80 lineal feet 1x244 beaded slats, at 144c. 1.40 

10 feet lineal 1 x 6 pine I , 2 „ at 145.00 54 

10 feet lineal 1 x 8 pine ) ’ 

10 feet cove molding.. .08 

Nails__ .05 

Labor (3 hours).. 1.05 


$3.28 

If ten lineal feet costs $3.28, one'lineal foot would cost 33c. 
Estimate by the lineal foot. The above table is based on a 
height of 2 ft. 6 in. from grade to floor 

PORCH RAIL. 


Estimate per lineal foot, complete. 


2 ft. 4 in. rail, at 5c__...$0.10 

10 ft , lineal, 1 for balusters_ .10 

Labor, per foo 1 (b^ hour)... .18 

$0.38 

2 ft. rail. 10 

3 turned balusters, 144x144x20.24 

Labor, (V 2 hour).18 


Total, per lineal foot..$0.52 

These tables are for ordinary work, using square or turned 
balusters; other tables may be made for other sizes of rail and 
balusters- 

Above tables for rail used with round columns. Labor 
about two-thirds if square columns are used. 

STEPS. 

A set of steps six feet long, four risers and treads, using 
three 2 x 10 stringers, 1 x 10 face stringer, mitered, and showing 
open end with slats, costs as follows; 
















THE LIGHTNiNG ESTIMATOR. 


63 


One 2x10-14, at $24.00,..$0.55 

Four 1x8 six foot risers, at $45.00_ .72 

Eight I4gx6, six ft. for treads, at_ 2.10 

9 feet lineal of 1x10 pine, at $45.00_ v _ .36 

12 feet lineal, beaded slats. .21 

32 feet cove molding___ .24 

Nails (1 pound),.... .03 

Labor (1 day including setting).. 2.80 


$7.01 

If one foot longer or shorter is required same can be figured 
as follows, for material only, as there would be no difference to 
speak of in the labor: 


One-sixth of cost, risers,.. $0.12 

Oue-sixth of cost, treads_ .35 

Four feet cove molding.03 


$0.50 

Thus a set of four steps, five feet long, would cost $6.50, or 
a set seven feet long $7.50. 

PORCH CORNICE. 


Taking cornice as shown on detail, which is a lair example 
of the cornice used on common work throughout the United 


States, we will estimate the amount of labor and material re¬ 
quired for a porch 8x16. Allowing a foot projection, we would 
have thirty-six feet of cornice’ 


36 feet lineal 1x8 plancher )_ f 

36 feet lineal 1x4 fascia_ \ M ’’ 

36 feet crown mold.. 


at $40.00 


$1.44 


,/2 


64 feet lineal 1x10 inside and outside frieze, 53 ft, 

at $44.00. 2.33 

32 feet lineal 1x5 soffit=13 ft., at $40 00-- .52 

32 feet bed molding_ >40 

32 feet lineal 2x10 Hemlock for lintel, at $24.00.. 1.27 
Nails... 15 


16 hours labor 


$6.83 

5.60 


$12.43 

























64 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


112.43 for 36 feet would be about 35c. per foot complete. 

This price would be a fair average on porches from 6x10 up 
to 8x20. 

Make a list of the different prices of columns. 

Eight inch Colonial columns, 8 ft. long, cost $3.25 each, 
10 in x 8 ft. $4.50 each in this locality. Add 50c. each for set¬ 
ting, or 1^2 hours one man. 

It is handy to have several sizes of porches estimated be¬ 
forehand, such as 4x8, 6x12, 7x14, 8x16, etc , like builder usu¬ 
ally puts up, then he can make one item of porches when esti¬ 
mating, which saves estimating all the material and labor each 
time. 

An estimate is given below on an ordinary porch 7 ft. x 16 
ft. Hip roof, four 8-inch Colonial columns, and general detail as 
shown in illustration: 


112 square feet floor, joists, etc., at $10 30 _$11.54 

112 “ feet ceiling at $7,25_ 8.12 

34 feet cornice, at 35c- 11.90 

18x9=162 square feet roof, at $11.20_ 18.14 

4 columns, at $3.75_ 15.00 

19 rail (6-j-6-(-7) at 40c._ 7.60 

23 feet skirting, at 33c._ 7.59 

Steps, four risers, 7 feet_ 7.00 


.$86.89 

It is handy to know just what a foot or two feet longer or 
shorter would be, and is easily found by taking a strip across the 
porch one foot wide, and making calculation same as above, 


and as shown below: 

7 square feet floor, at $10.30_$0 72 

7 square feet ceiling, at $7.25_ .51 

1 foot cornice, at 35c_ .35 

1 foot rail_ .40 

1 foot skirting_ .33 

9 square feet roof, at $11.20_ 1.01 

V 2 foot of steps_ .25 


$3.57 

If builder will take the trouble to estimate a few porches of 





















THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


65 


different sizes as suggested before, he may make a note of cost 
of one foot in length, at the side of his porch estimate, which 
really gives him a price on five different sizes. For instance, 
estimate a porch 7x16, and then by having table for 7-ft. porch 
1 foot long, we can easily compute porches 7x14 to7xl8. Iwould 
not advise using this for greater than two feet longer or shorter, 
as it might make a difference in the columns and steps, but of 
course builder can use his judgment in this as he sees fit. 


PARTITIONS. 

Partitions for house work are usually built of 2x4 studs with 
2x4 plate at top and bottom. They should be priced by the 
lineal foot, complete. When house has wing on side the stud¬ 
ding between the wing and main part are classed as partitions 
and should be taken off plan along with other partitions, then 
we do not have to consider them when estimating outside walls. 
Something depends on whether openings are double-studded or 
not, as to the amount of material in a partition. Openings 
should be doubled at sides and top in order to form a good nail¬ 
ing base for the casing, also to make a stronger job. A parti¬ 
tion with an opening in it for door or archway, generally requires 
more material than if solid. For example, we will take a par¬ 
tition 12 feet long and 9 feet high with one opening 3 ft. x 7 ft. 
in same. Setting studs 16 inches on centres and allowing one 
for each end would require ten 2x4-9 ft. studs and two 2x4-12 
for plates, if partition were solid. Now, if the opening was 
doubled, it would require two 2x4-7 ft. and one 2x4-4 extra. 
The four foot piece is figured for header, the other header being 
taken from lower plate. These headers might be a foot or so 
longer than four feet in some cases, but this is near enough for 
practical purposes. We will now get these pieces together into 




THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


66 


one table in order to get price for the 12 feet of partition. Di¬ 
viding the cost by 12 gives the price for one lineal foot of parti¬ 
tion complete: 

Ten 2x4-9=60 board feet, at $28 00-$1.68 

Two 2x4-12=16 “ “ 1 

One 2x4-4 = 3 “ “ | 

Two 2x4 7 ft=9 “ “ [ 

- I 

28 “ “ J at $24.00 _ .67 

Nails_ .05 

Labor (3 hours)_ 1.05 

12)$3.45(25%c. 

This is a fair average for all the partitions in an ordinary 
house. A little is saved if partitions do not average one open¬ 
ing to every 12 lineal feet, but if builder will go into this matter 
carefully he will find that this average is very close. Some par¬ 
titions do not have any openings, while some have several, par¬ 
ticularly on second floors, around halls, etc. An ordinary house 
24 ft. x 28 ft. has about 150 lineal feet of partitions and twelve 
or thirteen openings which is in line with an average of one 
opening to 12 feet. Even if a little was saved by having fewer 
openings, we have not allowed anything for trusses over open¬ 
ings in bearing partitions. Now, I do not approve of trusses 
made of 2x4s cut in as braces, as the weight above pushes the 
sides out and causes settlement. The better way is to double a 
2 x8 or 2x10 over openings of this kind then the thrust is down¬ 
ward. In outside walls 2x4 braced trussing is all right because 
the sheathing holds the studs from spreading. Builders should 
make table for partitions eight feet high also. Most houses have 
first story ceiling 8 ft. 6 in. to 9 ft , and second story 7V 2 ft. to 8 
ft. high. 








THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


67 


CELLAR PARTITIONS AND 
COAL BINS. 

These are usually about eight feet high, built of matched 
hemlock and 2x4 studs set 2 ft. on centres. A partition 8 ft. 
high and 20 ft. long would contain 160 sq. ft., and would require 
the following: 


Eleven 2x4-8, = 59 feet, at $24.00 _$1 42 

40 ft. lin. for plate, 27 ft. at $24.00 _ .65 

192 ft. matched hemlock, at $26.00_4.99 

Nails_ .10 

One day carpenter____ 2.80 


$9.96 

or about 6c. per square foot. 

As these partitions usually have batten doors, estimate each 
door at two hours extra, 70c., and 25c. for hinges and latch, or 
$1.00 per door extra to above table. 


INTERIOR FINISH. 

Under this heading we will consider windows, doors, base, 
wainscot, picture moldings, stairs, cupboards, plate shelf, col- 
onade, china closets, mantel shelves, book cases, and beam 
ceilings, showing how these various parts of the work may be 
estimated in the shortest and most accurate manner. Builder 
should prepare tables similar to those shown, suiting them to his 
style of executing the work. 









68 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 




DOOR AND WINDOW TRIM 






































THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


69 


WINDOWS. 

Instead of estimating sash, moldings, frames, cord, weights, 
casings, labor and trimmings, etc., all separately, take as one 
item. A 28x30 window frame and casings, etc., will nearest 
average the size of all windows on the ordinary plan. The dif¬ 
ference in cost for larger or smaller is quite small. 


Y. P. Oak 

1 window frame 28x30x30_ $2.50 $2 50 

14 feet casing and apron_ .42 .70 

Head casing and molding_ .23 .33 

Sash lock, lift, and stop washers_ ' .20 .20 

32 lbs. weights, at 2c_ .64 .64 

Cord, 10c.; grounds, 8c_ .18 .18 

16 feet stops_ .14 .20 

4 feet stool_ .14 .20 

Labor (4 hours pine, 5 hours oak)_ 1.40 1.75 


$5 85 $6.70 

To these add the cost of the window glazed. 

Make table of ordinary sizes and prices used in your busi¬ 
ness. 

Example.—At cost of $2.50 for a window 28x30x30 and 
$5.85 for the frame all cased up complete, the total cost would 
be $8.35. 

Windows without weights, deduct 30c. on frame, 25c. on 
the labor, cost of the weights and cord 74c., and the grounds 
8 c. Total $1.37 less. 

Windows for barns, merely figure the cost of sash frames, 
and labor fitting sash. 

Note-Builder may procure a plate glass and sheet glass price 
list, with discounts, from his dealer. Then he may easily figure 
difference in any window for plate glass. 

Prices on glass constantly change, so it would be useless to 


cove anv * iere - 













70 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


CELLAR WINDOWS. 


Cost of sash glazed, 10x14, 2-light_$0.65 

Cost of frame__^___ '70 

Hinges and hook, 10c.; labor, 18c.; hour to hang)_ .28 

Total cost of cellar window_$1.63 


Make a table of cellar sash prices on the ordinary size, 
as: 

8x10 3 lights, 10x14 2 lights, 12x16 2 lights 

10x12 3 lights, 12x14 2 lights, 14x16 2 lights 

A cellar frame for a sash 10x14 2 lights requires eight lineal 
feet of 2x8 stock rabbeted for sash, cost, 35c.; labor, 35c.; total 
cost of frame, 70c. Made of Norway pine. 

SINGLE SASH. 

A great many single sash are used now. Make a table of 
sizes and prices, such as 20x24, 24x28, 24x30, 36x24, 40x24, etc. 
Also make a table similar to one given for double sash windows, 
for the cost of frame, casings, labor, etc., and add cost of sash 
called for, to this. 

Note —Your lumber dealer will provide you with a sash and 
door list, also discounts, from which you can figure any size 
window or door. This will be a great help in making out the 
tables. 

Small square or diamond-shape lights cost 7c. to 15c. each 
extra for open sash or windows. No extra cost for glazing, as 
glass is cut from smaller lights, which being cheaper, makes up 
for extra work glazing small lights. However, this matter of 
small or diamond-light windows must be taken up with your 
mill man, as price varies greatly in different localities. 






THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


71 


BASE. 


Scale plan and estimate per lineal foot. 


2C0 feet grounds_ 

100 “ base, 1x8, sanded 

100 “ base mold_ 

1( 0 “ quarter round_ 

Labor, 70 feet per day_ 

Nails_ 


Georgia Pine. Oak 

-.$ .80 $ .80 
3.35 5.00 

1.20 2.00 

.60 1.00 

4.00 (60 feet) 4.67 

.05 .05 


$10.00 $13.52 

or about 10c. and 13^c. per lineal foot complete. 

WAINSCOTING 


Estimate per lineal foot. 

3 ft. high Georgia Pine. 4 ft. high 

Grounds_ .01 .015 

4 ft. ceiling, at $38.00- .15 5 ft. ceiling .19 

Cap and quarter round- .02 .02 

Labor_ 09 .12 


27c. 34i/ 2 c 

Other tables may be made for other kinds of wainscot. 


PICTURE MOLDINGS. 


Two inch picture molding costs H$c. in Georgia pine and 
2c. in oak. If put up at ceiling or butted against a square head 
casing, labor is lc. per foot. If required to fit against molded 
head, labor is 2c. per foot. Based on 35 or 18 feet per hour, 
including sanding. 

















72 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


INSIDE DOORS. 


2-8x6-8xl3g 

Door_ 

28 ft. casings (side)__ 

Head casings_ 

Jambs_ 

Lock, knob and butts 

Stops (16 feet)_ 

Head molding_ 

Grounds_ 

Labor (6 hours)_ 


No. 1 Y. P. 

Oak 

$ 2.90_ 

.$ 6.21 

.84_ 

. 1.40 

.18_ 

. .24 

.50_ 

. .65 

.50_ 

_ 1.00 

.14_ 

. .20 

.30__ 

_ .42 

.18_ 

. .18 

2.10(8 hrs) 2.80 

$7.64 

$13.10 


Above table is based on 5 cross panel door cased up both 
sides, all complete, including hardware. 

Make tables for all sizes used, where there is any difference 


in price. 


SLIDE DOORS. 


Door, 3x7_ 

Trimmings, common_ 

Hangers and track (adjustable track) 

Labor, 2 days_ 

Jambs___ 

28 feet casings_ 

Head casings and moldings_ 

Stops_ 

Grounds_ 


Georgia Pine. 

Oak 

_$3.67 

$7.35 

.75 

1.00 

— 2.25 

2.25 

_5.60 

5 60 

_ .75 

1.10 

_ .84 

1.40 

_ .50 

.70 

_ .37 

.43 

.20 

.20 

$14.93 

$20.03 


These figures do not include the extra partition required for 
sliding doors, Estimate partition with regular partitions. 
Often these partitions are sheathed up with matched flooring, 
which costs 4c. per square foot extra. 

Also, if doors are bound around with stops add the cost of 
same. Make other tables for different size doors and different 
woods. Double action doors, add the difference between the D. 
A. hinge used and the regular price of trimmings as given in 
tables of doors, usually about $1.00 difference. 
































THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


73 


F RONT DOORS. 


Door 3x7___$ 7.50 

1 frame_ 2 50 

Casings _ 1 05 

Trimmings_ 3.00 

8 hours labor_ 2.80 


$16.85 

Add glass to this. 

Builder should have several different tables pricing style 
doors generally used. 


STAIR WORK. 

Stair building is such a large subject that an attempt to 
estimate the many various styles would require a volume in 
itself. In the larger cities stairwork is gotten out at the mill 
and the carpenter sets same in place. In the smaller cities and 
country the carpenter usually builds the whole stairs on the job. 
I will show how an estimate is made on an ordinary open stairs, 
then builder can change to suit his regular styles. This esti¬ 
mate will be based on a flight of stairs with 16 risers 3 ft. long, 
closed stringer-board, turned balusters, paneled starting newel, 
plain 5x5 angle newel, rail and shoe plowed out for balusters, 
both wall and face stringers housed for treads and risers, same 
to be wedged in, outside stringer-board doubled, no paneling 
nor rail around landing at second floor, one platform in this 
stair case, all to be plain red oak 








74 


THE LIGHTNING.ESTIMATOR. 


Three 2x10-14=70 hoard feet, at $24.00-$1.68 

One 2x6-16 for landing_^- .38 

40 feet grounds_ .20 

One 2x4 14 for blocking stringer out_ .22 

Nails_ .02 

Labor (10 hours _3.50 


Cost of stringers in place before plastering_$6.00 

16 risers 1x7 or 8—3 feet_$ 2.40 

14 treads 1 igxl 1x3 feet_ 5.60 

2 nosing 1 1 gx3x4 feet_ .30 

Three 1x10-14 stringers_ 2.63 

1 starting newel_ 5.00 

2 angle and landing newels_ 6.00 

12 feet oak flooring_ .84 

14 feet shoe 1x3 plowed_ .56 

14 feet rail “ _ 2.80 

28 balusters 1 44x144_ 5.60 

32 feet base mold_ .64 

48 feet tread mold_ .48 

6 feet 1x8 base_ .30 

Nails and glue_ .25 

Labor (10 days)- 28.00 


$61.40 

$61.40 


$67 40 

Quarter circle steps $1.50 extra. 

Half circle steps $3.00 extra. 

Above table is based on carpenter doing all work on stairs 
at the job. In making tables builder should extend prices for 
yellow pine also. 






























THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


75 



Oak, $5.00. 


$3.00 


The newels shown here are the ones used and priced in 
Stair work table. 


















76 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


CELLAR STAIRS. 

A straight flight of cellar stairs made with 2x8 stringers and 
2x10 treads, resting on cleats nailed to stringer and spiked 
through stringer into ends of treads would require for a seven 
foot cellar as follows - 

20 feet lineal 1x3 for cleats_$ .15 

Two 2x8-12 stringers—32 feet, at $24 00_ .77 

Three 2x10-12 treads—60 feet, at $24.00_ 1.44 

Nails_ .05 

Labor (6 hours)_ 2.10 


Platform would cost about $1.00 extra. 


$4.51 








THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


77 


KITCHEN CUPBOARDS. 



Cupboard Front and End. 
Scale Foot. 








































































78 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


Cupboards are built in a variety of ways and sizes, there¬ 
fore the builder must make his tables conform to his style of 
work. A popular style of the ordinary cupboard is about 5 ft. 
wide and 8 ft. 6 in. or 9 ft. high, running from floor to ceiling. 
End of cupboard 1 ft. wide above broad shelf, and 16 to 20 
inches wide below. These ends may be glued up or made from 
ceiling. There are two doors and two draws below broad shelf, 
and two doors above, from shelf to head casing. Usually the 
upper doors are Ug in. thick, and the lower doors V 8 in. thick. 
Bottom of cupboard raised off floor 1 V 2 inches, one wide shelf 
in lower part and five 12 in. shelves in upper part. Cupboards 
generally come in corner of room so that only one end is re¬ 
quired. However, 1 will make estimate including both ends. 


Two 1x12 9-ft. ends_18 feet 

Two 1x4—3-ft 2-in. ends_3 “ 

Five 1x12 5-ft. shelves_25 “ 

Three 1x18 5-ft. for two shelves and bottom_24 “ 

16 ft. lin. under doors, broad shelf, and between 

draws and doors_2 “ 

9 ft. 1x4 casing_3 ‘ ‘ 

Three 118x4-5 ft. 6 in. casings, upper doors_8 “ 

One lx6-6-ft head casing_3 “ 

16 lineal feet =^x6 for draws_8 “ 

8 sq. feet 2 / 8 for draw bottoms_8 “ 

102 feet 

102 feet yellow pine lumber, at $50.00 _$ 5 10 

Two doors 2 ft. x 5 ft. 6 in_ 3.50 

8 feet head moldings_ . 16 

Two doors 2 ft. x 2 ft. 4 in_ 1.60 

Hinges, catches, draw pulls, nails and glue_ 1.25 

Two days carpenter_ 5.60 


$17.21 























THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


79 


PLATE SHELF. 






'/£ = r 


This neat, inexpensive pattern of plate shelf could hardly 
be improved upon. Usually the top piece has the molded edge 
stuck on solid, making it necessary to mitre across the entire 
shelf where it returns against door or window casings. In get¬ 
ting this shelf out I always get the top piece with square edge 
and cut off square with the door casing, then return the molding 
only, against the casing. The finished product has the same 
effect, there are no wide mitres to open up, and about one-third 
of the time is saved. The brackets are started about four inches 
from the door casing or corner and spaced about 16 or 18 inches 
apart. It generally requires about one bracket to the foot. 
Brackets may be one inch or thicker as desired. The table be¬ 
low gives pi ice on brackets Hg inches thick. The top piece I 
always buy plain dressed both sides and one edge. I have the 
grooves put in at the job by hand. If you order this piece 
grooved at mill they charge you molding prices for the piece, 
plus an extra charge for setting up machine, if you buy less than 
200 feet. The price given is to use in connection with general 








80 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


interior finishing. If you were to put up just a plate shelf and 
had no other work on the job, you should add 5c. a foot for 
measuring and time lost in getting carpenter to job and back, 
also profit. 

The following table is based on 12 lineal feet of shelf and 
labor. The total result divided by 12 gives price per lineal 
foot, hence in measuring a plan get number of lineal feet of 
shelf at price per foot. 


Y. P. Oak 


12 lineal ft. 1x34^_ .20 .30 

24 lineal ft. molding_ .14 .24 

12 lineal ft. 5 /fax3 inch with molded edge_ .24 .36 

12 brackets_ .30 .36 

Labor_ 1.40 1.75 


12)2.28 12)3.01 
.19 .25 


MANTELS. 

Customary to allow so much for each mantel and setting in 
the specifications, allowing owner to select what he wishes at 
the price allowed when time comes for setting same. 









THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR 


81 



gn» 














82 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


BRICK MANTEL. 
Hearth is also of brick, laid edgeways. 


300 Coshocton pressed brick_$15.00 

1 sack cement, 45c.; fire clay, 34c_ .79 

Colored mortar_ 60 

50 fire brick_ 1.75 

Angle iron, 40c.; ash dump, 50c_ .90 

Dome damper_1_ 3.75 

2 days mason and tender_ 13.00 


$35.79 

The basket or andirons used in these fireplaces are usually 
furnished by the owner. However, if builder is obliged to bid 
on these also, a very complete line is handled by Clias. Lorenzen 
& Co., Chicago, Ill. This firm will send catalogue and prices. 
Ask for catalogue of Grates and Fireplace Fixtures. 


BOOK CASE AND MANTEL SHELF. 


12 ft. shelf, 2x8, oak, molded edge_$ 1.80 

12 ft. fascia and soffit, oak, 2 in. and 4 in_ .45 

12 ft. frieze and bed mold, oak_ .84 

5 brackets; molded_ .50 

70 ft. oak and W. W. for jambs, casings, shelves, etc_._ 4.55 

2 doors, glazed_ 5.20 

2 doors, glazed_ 2.80 

1 frame tor panels_ 2 75 

2 composition panels_ 8.50 

12 ft. cornice (3 members)_ .72 

5 pairs butts and 4 catches_ 2.60 

*<j days carpenter_ 16.80 


$47.51 

























THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR 


83 


BUFFET. 
































84 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


BUFFET AND CHINA CLOSET. 

3 leaded glass doors_ $ 6 00 

Two 6-lt. doors, plain glass___ 3 00 

60 feet oak lumber_,_ 4.50 

22x46 plate glass mirror_ 5.50 

Frame for same_ 1.00 

8 ft. oak crown mold_ .40 

Parting strips_ 1 20 

50 ft. ceiling for back_ 2.00 

2 shelves_ .50 

3 oak nosings_ .30 

Hardware, nails and glue_ 3 00 

6 days carpenter__ 16.80 

$44 20 
















THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


85 



Beams are used a great deal in dens, dining and living 
rooms of the better class. There is a wide variety of designs 
and arrangement used, but the one illustrated is simply con¬ 
structed and suitable for Colonial or Mission rooms. Note the 
soffit is housed into the sides, and there is a $4 in x 6 in. board 
put on ceiling before plastering is done. This piece should be 
put on with a straight edge in order to get a perfect ceiling. 
Blocking is placed on this board to fasten ihe beams to. 
Builder must have a detail of the kind of beams he pioposes to 
use, then he can make a table of the cost. The price given 
below is only intended to cover the cost when beams 1 un straight 
or at right angles with each other. Diamond shape or irregular 
spaces cost more for labor, and one has to exercise his judg 
ment as what to add to regular cost. The location of beams 



















86 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


is generally marked on floor plans in dotted lines. Scale plan 
and estimate at price per lineal foot 

The following table gives price on one lineal foot of beams 
shown above. 


Georgia Pine 


3 lin ft, 1x4_ .05 

2 ft. molding_ .02 

1 lin. ft. 4^x6 hemlock_ .01 

Labor [}/\ hour)_ .09 


Oak 

.0714 

.03 ‘ 

.01 

.12 (y 3 hr.) 


.17 .23H 


The detail shows a 5-inch frieze to right. This runs around 
room next to ceiling, and beams butt into this. The same 
moldings are used as on the beams. 1 give table for 12 lineal 
feet; 


Georgia Pine Oak 


12 lin. ft 1x5_ .25 .35 

12 ft. Molding_ .12 .18 

Labor (1 hour)_ .35 .44(114 hrs) 


.72 .97 

or about 6c. and 8c. per lineal foot. 
















THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR 


87 



Beam Ceiling. See page 85. 
Buffet, similar tp estimate on page 

5 


y y -9 


y 


84 . 













88 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR 











THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


89 


COLONADE. 






























90 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


COLONADE. 

There is a wide variety of openings, with grilles or columns 
used now, and in most cases it is well to consult your dealer as 
to price, then add for setting. However, I give cost and illus¬ 
tration of a popular design of columned opening. It is neat, 
plain and generally satisfactory. We build the pedestals on the 
job and buy columns of lumber dealer. 

Cost of one pedestal and column: 


8 lin. ft. 1x12 oak, at $75.00_$0.60 

5 lin ft. 1x8 oak, at $75 00_ .30 

5 ft. 1x3 molding, oak_ .15 

5 ft. base mold and quarter round_ .15 

5 ft. 2x6 for form (hemlock)_ .12 

1 column 6 in. x 6 ft_4 00 

1 day carpenter_2.80 


$8.12 

This price is in addition to the cost of a regularly cased 
opening. Quite often a heavy cornice is used instead of the 
regular head casing, and builder must analyze the different 
members and add for same. 

A 10 or 12 inch head casing with 4 or 5 inch crown mold 
makes a neat job, and only costs about 50c. more than regular 
head casing, for botli sides of a 6 or 7 foot opening. Where an 
elaborate job is required with a complete cornice, figure cost of 
each member and about 4c. per foot for each member for labor. 
Special work like this is a matter of judgment, and on account 
of the many different styles no set rules can be given. 












THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


91 


WIRING. 

While it is customary for the general contractor to get a 
sub-bid from an electrician on this work, I give the method used 
by most electrical contractors for what is known as the knob and 
tube wiring for housework. This work is usually priced at so 
much per opening for lights and switches plus cost of switch 
trimmings. Sometimes an inspection fee is added 

Example:—A house having 12 lights and openings, 8 switches 
and two 3-way switches for operating hall lights will cost as 


follows: 

12+8=20 openings, at $1.00_$20.00 

Wiring two 3-way switches_ 2.00 

8 snap switches, single pole_ 2.40 

Two 3-way switches_ 1.00 


$25.40 

Flush switches are more expensive and cost about $1.00 
each, extra. 



)i 


IX 











92 


THE LIGHTNING ESTIMATOR. 


COMMON NAILS. 


Size 

L 

ength and Guage 

Approx. 
No. to lb. 

Advance Over Base 
Brice 

2 d 

1 

inch 

No. 

15 

876 

$0 70 per 100 lbs. 

3d 

H4 

< < 

( ( 

14 

568 

45 

4d 

1/2 

4 4 

< ( 

12/2 

316 

30 

5d 

134 

4 < 

( ( 

12/2 

271 

30 

6d 

2 

4 4 

( < 

IU/2 

181 

20 

7d 

2L 

< 4 

< < 

11H 

161 

20 

8d 

2H 

4 < 

< < 

104 

106 

10 

9d 

234 

4 4 

( i 

104 

96 

10 

lOd 

3 

4 i 

< < 

9 

69 

05 

12d 

314 

4 4 

( < 

9 

63 

05 

16d 

3l/ 2 

4 4 

< ( 

8 

49 

05 

20d 

4 

( ( 

( ( 

6 

31 

Base 

30d 

4/2 

< i 

i ( 

5 

24 

< < 

40d 

5 

i i 

( i 

4 

18 

< < 

50d 

5i/ 2 

i ( 

i f 

3 

14 

< < 

60d 

« 

6 ‘ 

< ( 

< < 

2 

11 

< < 






















INDEX. 


Author’s Remarks_3-10 

Base Boards_71 

Beam Ceilings_85 

Book Case_81, 82 

Brick Work_26 

“ Veneer_27 

“ Piers_26 

Brick Mantel_81, 82, 88 

Buffet_83, 84, 87 

Cellar Walls_17 

“ Windows_70 

“ Stairs_76 

“ Partitions_67 

Cisterns_30, 31 

Concrete Blocks_19, 22 

Footings_22, 24 

“ Floors._24, 25 

Steps_25 

Coal Bins_67 

Colonade_89, 90 

Chimneys__28, 30 

Cut Stone_28 

Cement Wainscot_33, 35 

Ceiling Joist_48 

China Closet_83, 84 

Cupboards_77, 78 

Cornice_55, 58 

Corner Boards_47 

Doors_72, 73 

“ Front_73 

“ Slide_72 

Dormer Windows_53, 54 

Excavating-17 

Fireplaces_29, 30, 81, 88 

Floors_35, 42 

Floor Lining_-.38 

Gutters_ 31 

Hips and Valleys_48 

Interior Finish_67 


Joists_35. 42 

Lathing_32 

Mantel_80, 88 

Nails_92 

Newels_75 

Overlays_48 

Partitions_65, 66 

Picture Mold_71 

Plastering_33 

Plate Shelf_79, 80 

Painting_32 

Porch Work_59, 65 

Cornice_63 

Floor_60 

Ceiling_60, 61 

Skirting_61, 62 

“ Rail_62 

“ Roof_61 

Estimate_64 

Piers_26 

Roofs_48 

Rubble Stone_17, 18 

Sidewalls_42, 46 

Sheathing__42, 46 

Siding_42, 46 

Shingles (side)_42, 46 

“ (roof) _48 

Studding_43, 46 

Sills (6x8)_37 

Sills (box)_39 

Stone (cut)_28 

“ Walls_17,18 

Slate Roofs_52 

Stairs_73, 76 

Tinner’s Work_31 

Veneering__27 

Wiring_91 

Wainscot_33, 71 

Watertable_ 47 

Windows_69 

















































































MEMORANDA. 
























MEMORANDA. 
























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